


Dream Catcher

by de tournesol amour (ejrtournesol)



Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: F/M, One Shot Collection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-11
Updated: 2016-02-11
Packaged: 2018-05-19 18:31:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 46
Words: 51,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5976889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ejrtournesol/pseuds/de%20tournesol%20amour
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of Gadge one-shots or two-shots. All random and requested.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Madge sat down on the step outside her house. The sky was turning grey with a coming storm, but she was watching her feet tape against the cement. The gate creaked and Madge looked over to see Gale coming with his game bag. She opened her mouth to say something to him.

"Hey." Gale said, like it was normal for him to stop by.

"Uh... hi." Madge said and looked down at her watch. "What are you doing here?" She asked him.

"Oh... well... I was talking the Katniss earlier." Gale said and dropped his game bag at her feet.

"Okay." Madge said and raised an eyebrow. Gale rubbed the back of his neck.

"She said that you hadn't been sleeping well." He muttered.

"She told you that?" Madge demanded, getting to her feet. "That's none of your business."

"I know." Gale said quickly, "but I when I asked about you that's what she said so."

"When you asked about me?" Madge cried, "since when do you ask about me?"

"Look you're having bad dreams, right?" He said, halting her distress.

"Yes." She blushed and looked away.

"I have something that can help you rest." He sighed and leaned forward towards his game bag. Madge watched him from the corner of her eye. He pulled out a wooden circle. String was tied across the inside of the circle in all directions. Attached at the bottom of the circle were long strings of tan and dark feathers.

"What is it?" She asked coming closer to evaluate it.

"It's called a Dream Catcher." Gale sighed. "It's supposed to catch bad dreams, spirits, and what not." He smiled slightly.

"That's... so thoughtful of you." She whispered and took the object from him.

"You hang it off your headboard." He added.

"Okay." She nodded. She looked up and narrowed her eyes at him. "Why are you doing this for me and why are you asking about me?" She demanded. He shrugged.

"Guess you'll just have to figure it out." Gale picked up his game bag and threw it over his shoulder. "See you later, Undersee," he winked, "in your dreams." He closed the gate behind him and was out of sight.


	2. Sea Sick

I leaned against the chair and looked out at the water. I closed my eyes and let myself not think of the waves tossing my stomach.

"You okay?" Gale asked.

"I don't know." I lied and let out a shaky breath. "I just felt really seasick there."

"Do you need to go back?" He asked and reached out to the engine.

"No." I said quickly. "It'll pass."

"I feel like this is prom all over again." I gave him a look. "Sorry." He smiled.

"I'm going to get in the water." I took off my pink cover-up and fixed my bikini top. As soon as I stood up, I had to sit down.

"We're going back." Gale said calmly and turned on the ignition.

"I'm fine." I murmured but head was spinning.

"It's okay. We can go out tomorrow, it won't be as choppy." I nodded and pulled my hat down from the wind. "Do you want to come lean on me?" I stumbled over and relaxed against him. "You're probably dehydrated." Gale sighed. "You never drink enough." I nodded and closed my eyes against his shoulder.

"Sorry." I murmured.

"Don't apologize." He kissed my nose and forehead. I searched for the dock in the distance. Finally, I could make out the two benches at the end of the dock. Gale killed the engine. I slumped against the empty chair as Gale was quick to tie the boat to the dock.

"You don't need to help." I whispered as he tried to pick me out of the boat. My head ached and I tried to look well.

"Don't." He said. "I know you too well." I sighed. I wandered through the pine needles and sand through the ankle high grass and through gravel up to the cabin. I opened the screen door and stepped up onto concrete.

"Sorry." I whispered again to the man behind me. The fan in the screen porch felt nice and I turned my face towards it as Gale unlocked the heavy wood door.

"Come on." He whispered as we walked into A/C. I followed him into the bedroom and sat on the mattress. He reached around me and unhooked my necklace setting it on the side table.

"Thanks." He nodded and reached for my engagement ring. That too was placed with the necklace. I dropped my flip flops and curled up on the bed.


	3. Taxi

Madge put out her hand to catch a taxi. It was late and she was busy yelling at her assistant on the phone. "No, the blue couch. Right, that one with the funny pattern. Left corner by the fireplace. Has the wallpaper come yet? Good. Have it put up on that feature wall. Bye Mary." She clicked her phone off and waved her hand.

Her bright orange dress glowed under the street light outside her studio. She had been promoted to lead designer when her boss retired. It was an honor and also a lot of work. She finally flagged down a taxi.

She told the cab driver her destination. As she was sliding in another person slid in on the other side. She looked over, clearly surprised. "Oh... you." She relaxed against the seat and clicked out messages on her phone. The man gave his address and eased back against the seat.

"You always say that like it's a bad thing." Her friend smirked and rested his briefcase on the ground in front of him.

"It is. Why must we always get the same cab?" She groaned and set down her phone.

"You call it out with those long legs, skin tight dresses, golden hair, and doe eyes." She scoffed. "I get in." She turned away from him and looked out the window. "Also I can't help if your office is across from mine."

"Yes you can! There are plenty of military offices in this area. I think you purposely put yourself there." The man smirked.

"So what if I do, Undersee?" Madge huffed and looked down at her phone as it vibrated.

"If you do... then I suggest you move." Madge murmured quickly scanning an email.

"You don't like my company?" The man exclaimed and touched his chest. "I'm heartbroken."

"And I'm annoyed." Madge said.

"Come on." He groaned. "Don't be like this. It must be exhausting."

"What is exhausting, Gale?" She sighed and looked over at him.

"The whole you can't have fun thing."

"I can have fun.." Madge grumbled.

"What do you do for fun? And don't say work."

"I... play piano, read, sketch."

"No that's relaxing. Do you ever get out? Get a drink? Dance? See a movie?" Madge blinked over at him.

"I don't have time for that."

"But you have time to play piano, read, and sketch." Gale smirked.

"I do that in the morning, before work." Madge sighed.

"Right so what do you do at night? Crossword puzzles?" Madge could see he wasn't letting this go.

"I watch porn." She said with dead seriousness.

Gale snorted, "Good one."

"At least I don't have one night stands." She said and her eyes wandered over his pressed uniform.

"I'm guessing that's what you think I do." He said, raising an eyebrow.

"But of course." She said. "A handsome man like yourself could get any pathetic young lady to come home with him."

"You think I'm handsome.." Gale winked.

"Never mind." Madge groaned.

"See I only have my eyes set on one woman. I don't know why because she drives me up a wall."

"Is it your sister?" Madge dead panned.

"Oh- ha ha." Gale said and rolled his eyes.

"I think you're trying to ask me out but all I see is the water displacing from your drowning." She said and turned back to answer hopefully the last email of the night.

"I'm wondering how much effort goes into being so rude." He snarled and turned to look out the window. Madge sat still, looking over his ridged body.

"One drink." She said and leaned forward, quickly telling the cab driver an address of the closest bar.

"Or a few..." Gale smiled and looked over at her.

"Don't push your luck, Hawthorne."


	4. Honeymoon

"Watch out for the fallen branch up here." I called over my shoulder.

"Okay." Gale whispered in my ear. I jumped and fell over the branch I warned him about. My hands were scrapped up and my stomach scratched against the harsh bark.

"Give a girl some warning." My arms shook as I tried to push myself away from the branch.

"Sorry." Gale's arms entangled around me and helped me up with little effort. "Oh jeez." He exclaimed as I glared down at my hands.

"I have no words." I looked up and rolled my eyes.

"Only you..." He started to say. I cut him off.

"Yeah yeah. Good thing we brought that first aid kit."

"I was thinking about how good of an excuse this is to head back to the hotel room." I could feel the blush running up my neck.

"Right..." I said awkwardly.

"Come on. You're not a blushing bride." His voice dropped down to a whisper as he gathered me against his chest. "You know what I can do to you." My stomach dropped.

"Then..." My smile set in and I tumbled out of his grasp. "Tag you're it."

"Seriously?" Gale yelled but my feet were already pounding against the ground along with the burning desire starting at my core.

"Madge!" I ducked a branch and could see the hotel at the bottom of the path. The startling water behind it looked like glass and the mountains were hiding the sun behind their peaks. Just as I thought I was winning Gale brushed by me.

"No fair." I huffed and leaned over my knees waiting for my breath to return. Gale turned around always away from me.

"It's always better if you don't waste your breath." Gale said approaching me. "You always lose it... so quickly." I could tell he wasn't talking about running.

"Ahem." I smiled and looked back at the water.

"Come on." He said and came over to tug on my arm. "I don't have all day Mrs. Hawthorne." My stomach bubbled as I remember signing my name on the hotel papers.

"We have a week, Mr. Hawthorne." I sighed and stumbled after him.

"And I plan to spend every second with you." His hand dropped along my back and snuck around diving under the hem of my dark pink shorts. "Doing this." He whispered.

"Getting in my pants?" I challenged, walking ahead of him and he beamed, obviously enjoying himself.

"Why not, Mrs. Hawthorne? Aren't you up for it?" I rolled my eyes.

"We'll see." I bit my lip and looked up at him. "But if you don't hurry up..." I started to say. Gale met me and all at once I was thrown over his shoulder. I hadn't meant to kick him in the gut but he almost dropped me as he doubled over. I scrambled to grab at his shirt. "Put me down!" I squealed.

"Let me think about that... Uh... No." I squirmed. "Stop moving." He laughed. "I'll drop you."

"Good! Put me down." He carried me to the front of the hotel. The valet men starred but hardly commented. Gale put me down and fixed my hair.

"Let's go." I pressed my hurt hands to my rib cage and followed Gale into the elevator. We stumbled off on the 7th floor. I beat Gale to the door and swiped our key.

"Do your hands hurt?" I shook my head because it was silly that they did. I just went into the bathroom and washed my hands. I lifted my shirt to look at the raw skin. "Like I said only you." I smiled and looked over at him. He was leaning against the closet, watching.

"It's not that bad." I wandered over and wrapped my arms around his middle, reaching up to take his bottom lip between my teeth.

He let it go and pulled me by my belt loops towards the bed. He set me at the edge of the bed and relaxed over me as I sunk into the pillows.


	5. Hotel Room Swap

I knocked on the door and waited. The door flew open and I looked up at Gale. "Hi there." I smiled.

"Hi." I looked over at Thom and he just rolled his eyes.

"I suggest you set an alarm so that you get back to wake up here..." He said. "Just so no one get suspicious." Gale saluted and we wandered over to the elevator.

"Do you think this is going to work?" I whispered as the doors closed.

"Stop worrying." Gale grinned. "This is an awesome plan." We got off the elevator and I unlocked our door. Katniss looked up from her bed as we entered and laughed.

"You two." She scolded. We shrugged and Gale sunk into my sheets.

"Hey we're all adults here." He grinned. "And all we're going to do is sleep." He winked in my direction.

"Well I would hope so." I scoffed and sunk into the cool sheets and warm embrace.

Katniss turned off the light. "I hope so too." She laughed into the darkness. Gale pressed his lips to the back of my neck. It sent a shiver down my spine.

"Goodnight." He whispered. His hands were in dangerous territory. But he knew that. I could feel his smile growing at the base of my skull.

"Gale." I whispered warningly. He pulled at the hem of my shorts and made me start to squirm. I turned over which proved to be a mistake. The harsh intake of breath I took was a sure sign of something.

"Sorry." He muttered but I could tell he wasn't. I bit my lip to stop the panting as I seemed to have ditched the shorts. "No." He muttered.

"You started it." I barely whispered in his ear. Either way his fingers were still on the tender skin. I could feel myself sinking into a trace. Being excited of the danger of being seen or heard.

"True." He sighed against my mouth and I braced myself for the feeling of his fingers filling me. I didn't know whether to grab sheets or his hand. My stomach twisted and I could feel the want fill me.

All at once my body relaxed and I felt the elastic of my shorts snap against my abdomen. "Tease." I muttered and rolled away from him into the cold pillows.


	6. Madge, Wolf, and Lumberjack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gadge re-tell of "Little Red Riding Hood"

Madge wandered into the forest. The shadows always compelled her to wander off the path, deeper into the unknown. Her brown boots laced to perfection and crisp dark purple socks caught on the brambles. She fixed her red cape, pulling the loose hood over her wild blonde hair.

She came to the stone bridge. The river lapped at the edges and the ducks squawked in the little sunlight. Her fingers traced the large stones as she crossed and she peaked up at the blue sky shining through the trees.

The dirt path was narrow and curved around the old oak trees and pines that surrounded her. She clutched at her basket full of buns and pastries from the bakery in town. The black ribbon in her hair was coming loose and she stopped to tie it up again.

She let the hood go limp against her back. The crunching of twigs, stopped her from reaching the basket in front of her. She glanced behind her, unsure of where the noise had come from.

"Hello?" She called out and picked up her basket, clutching it to her rib cage. The blonde pressed on, now checking her surroundings with a kind of paranoia. Her dress twirled around her knees as she stepped over logs fallen over the path.

Another noise snapped out of the shadows around her. Madge's ponytail flung over her shoulder as she tried to peer through the darkness that flooded around the trees. "Is anybody there?" She called, and her basket scratched against her arm as it left the crook of her elbow.

She pulled on her hair, bringing the ponytail back to where it had been resting before. Now, Madge kept her eyes on the ground. She picked up her pace and tried to keep her breathing even and calm. She entered a clearing and was thankful for the bright blue sky and sparkling sun.

As she was looking away from the feathery white clouds, she noticed a displacement in front of her. The bushes were pushed aside. She went to turn back. Her heart was racing with the feeling of someone watching her.

"Hello there..." She squealed. The deep male voice behind her, made her skin crawl and her feet to leave the ground. "I'm truly sorry I frightened you." She turned, unsure of what she expected to find. A towering mass of black and gray furred chest faced her.

It rose and fell with heavy breathing. The creature's legs were skinny and jaggedly bony. The fur travelled from the protruding chest down the rest of the torso and along the legs. Her eyes couldn't stay in one place. "What are you?" She whispered and finally met the eyes of the creature.

The eyes were large and dark with flecks of gold that reflected off the sun overhead. "A wolf," Madge took a look at the long sharp teeth that gleamed inside his mouth and the long red tongue that salivated his mouth.

"Why were you following me?" She asked, straightening her shoulders and extending her neck. His tall ears twitched and he pulled back his lips to smile. It looked more like he was ready to snarl. His claws dug into the dirt as he hunched over, smelling the plaid cloth over the basket.

"I could smell something delicious coming my way." He reached over the basket to feel the fabric of her dress between two fingers. Madge stumbled back, out of his grasp. "I had to figure out what it was." He said and stood, once again, casting his shadow over her.

"They're for my grandmother." She said, keeping her voice calm. "I always bring her goodies."

"Do you now... where does your grandmother live?" He asked and dropped down to be eye to eye with the blonde. "Wouldn't want her precious granddaughter to be lost." He said, his breath sending Goosebumps down her skin.

"She doesn't live far from here. Just through the woods and into the meadow. I know the way, I really must be going." She took off in a hurry, bursting into the trees and running down the path. She checked behind her ever so often. Just praying that the animal wasn't following her.

Madge stopped on a log. She buried her face in her hands and let herself catch her breath. She checked the contents of the basket. All of her pastries and buns were in place and still warm from the morning. She took her time now, weaving along the path.

The surroundings were starting to become familiar and flowers were starting to appear around the trees. She gained a bounce in her step as she came out of the tree line and into a garden. A long wooden fence and gate stood in front of her. It was the perimeter of the house.

The house itself was a large log cabin. Steam rose from the stone chimney and the vegetable patch looked vibrant and successful. Madge unlocked the gate and the bell chimed on it as she opened it. She walked slowly to the backdoor.

It was open slightly and Madge looked around for a second. She knocked and opened the door all the way. The house was warm but the only light was coming through the small windows. "Grandma?" Madge called out and set her basket on the kitchen table.

"In the bedroom." Her voice was unfamiliar to Madge.

"Do you have a cold?" She asked as she wandered over to the bedroom door.

"No, why do you ask?" Madge grabbed hold of the door knob and entered.

"No reason." She muttered. Her grandmother was lying back in bed. Her hands were under the quilt and her hair was covered by a lace cap. "I brought you some things from the bakery." Madge said approaching the bed.

"That's very nice of you, dear." Madge was sent back by the image of her grandmother.

"Why grandmother!" She cried, "what big arms you have." She was amazed that the fabric on her body was being tested so.

"The better to hug you..." Her grandmother trailed off and uncovered her hands from the sheets, showing her a loving embrace. She turned her legs towards Madge.

"Oh and what large legs you have!"

"All the better to run around the garden," Her grandmother said looking out the window. The cap was open on the side and her grandmother's ears were exposed.

"Grandma, what big ears you have," Madge said and placed a hand on her chest.

"Better to hear your stories," Her grandmother leaned forward towards her.

"What big... eyes you have, grandmother." Madge whispered, starring at the black and gold eyes.

"Better to see your pretty face with, my child." Her grandmother's lips pulled back in a smile.

"Grandmother, what big teeth you got!" Madge cried out and pressed herself against the wall behind her.

"... all the better to eat you with." The wolf stood up from the bed, ripping the clothes off his body. Madge scurried from the wall and over to the window. "You can't go far." The wolf snarled, leaning forward on his haunches.

"What have you done with my grandmother?" Madge cried out, hoping to buy time. She stumbled towards the door.

"I ate her." The wolf said as if it were obvious. He launched himself at her.

"Leave me alone!" Madge pulled open the door and slammed it in the wolf's face. She stumbled across the ground and out the open back door to the garden. She got to the gate and swung it open.

"I heard screaming!" Someone called out to her. Madge turned to come face to face with a tall man. His dark hair was glowing under the sun, his arms were buff as he held up a large axe.

"There's a wolf." Madge explained, as she gestured to the house. "He killed my grandmother and now he's after me!"

"I'll take care of it." The man ran past her through the gate and into the house. Madge left the yard and wandered over to the shelter of the trees. Her cape draped around her as she sat down in the grass and her mind raced with all the previous events.

"I had run into him before." Madge said later when the young man returned. He offered her hand. Madge's hand molded with hers as he brought her up to his chest.

"The wolf?" The man asked again.

"He kept asking questions. I unfortunately answered every one." Madge muttered as she swooned to the musky sweet smell of the person in front of her.

"That's why he was here." Madge nodded and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry." He said.

"It was my fault..." She said softly and drifted away towards the trees. "Thank you for, uh, saving me." She offered a shy smile and looked up into the man's grey eyes.

"I'm Gale, and you're welcome."

"Madge." She smiled and looked down at her boots. "So is it... dead?"

"Yeah, I took care of it." Gale nodded and reached out taking her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you." He kissed her hand and smiled. Madge blushed and looked away quickly. "Would it be alright to make you dinner. So you can- calm your nerves?" Madge blushed again.

"Of course, thank you."


	7. New Parents

Gale lifted the carrier carefully out of the backseat. He looked down at the sleeping baby and then extended his hand to me. I took it weakly and climbed out of the car.

"When is everyone showing up?" Gale sighed as I closed up the car doors and headed to the front door.

"We were separated when we left the hospital by a red light. They're not too far behind." I fumbled with the keys and in the end dropped them onto the front step.

"For Pete's sake." Gale grumbled and picked them up before I got the chance. He pushed past me and sunk them into the key hole.

"What's gotten over you?" I demanded and took the carrier from him. Madison was just waking up, her dark blue eyes looking over our un-amused faces.

"Nothing, just tired is all." Gale said smoothing his hair back.

"OH, you're tired?" I sneered and handed him back the heavy carrier. He went to explain but I shook my head and wandered up the stairs.

"Madge- that's not what I meant to say." He sighed and lugged the carrier up the stairs after me.

"Good because you got plenty of sleep." I snapped and turned down the hall at the top of stairs.

"The nurses offered to take care of her while you slept. I even asked you to but no..."

"Sorry for wanting to take care of my own daughter!" I cried throwing up my hands.

"You're so stubborn!" Gale cried and Madi started to wail.

"Give her to me." I glared. He ignored my request and opened the door to her room. It was dark and I snapped on the overhead light. He set the carrier on the changing table.

"Here," Gale moved back and allowed me to undo the baby from the carrier. I grabbed at the soft fabric of her pink onesie. She struggled in my arms but eventually calmed.

"You frightened her by your yelling." I whispered over her mess of little dark brown curls.

"My yelling?!" Gale whispered back. "You started it."

"Did not! You're the one with the mood!" I growled and bounced the little girl in my arms slowly.

"Are you still stressed about what happened in the hospital?"

"That's what you're mad about?! They were doing their jobs, Gale. I'm truly sorry you were tossed out. And yes it freaked the hell out of me but there were complications. We can't always be in control."

"Whatever." Gale turned and left the room. My daughter's eyes fell on mine and I smiled slightly.

"Daddy's just tired." I murmured. The front door chimed and Gale's mom called up the stairs.

"In the nursery." I heard Gale grumble.

"What has your panties in a bunch?" Rory laughed from down the hall. I laughed too, looking at the many green hippos on my daughter's onesie. Rory walked into the nursery and grinned. "There's my favorite niece." He winked and pulled the baby from my arms.

"She's your only niece." I rolled my eyes and pulled my arms around myself, feeling awkward without the warmth of the baby's body.

"Yeah well..." He looked up at me. "You don't look so good, Blondie."

"Nice Tangled reference." I murmured and pulled my fingers through my hair.

"What's wrong with my brother?" Rory asked looking back down at Madison.

"He's as worn out as I am and still mad at the nurses and such." He nodded.

"Well go get some sleep. I'll watch her." I didn't move. "Come on, I got this."

"But..." I couldn't peel my eyes off the slackened face of my sleeping daughter.

"Go." Rory said reaching out to pull me towards the door.

"Make sure to test the milk on your hand-"

"Right, to see if it's too hot." I nodded and lingered in the doorway a few more moments. Finally, I turned away and went down to my bedroom. I opened the door and watched my husband take off his shirt.

"Hi." I whispered and sat down behind him. I rubbed his shoulders until he visibly relaxed.

"Shouldn't I be doing this for you?" I shrugged and collapsed between his shoulder blades. "Sorry about earlier."

"It's fine." I closed my eyes. I felt Gale's hand searching for me and I let my leg fall around him. I don't remember turning and getting into the sheets.

"Goodnight." Gale whispered as he pulled me into his side.


	8. Rescue Mission

She hoped no one would recognize her. Madge had been to the Capitol a lot as a child. The government knew her when she came with her father. She looked over at Gale. His eyes were concentrating on the tunnel road. "What if..." she said to him.

"Don't." He said gruffly.

"But what if..." she sighed and looked out at the black tunnel walls.

"Then... I don't know." He sighed. "Get out of there."

"But what about Peeta?" She said. "We can't leave him there."

"No- you leave him and get yourself out. Do you understand?" His grey eyes flickered over her.

"Yes." She said quietly.

"I don't want to lose you." He whispered. "I never wanted you to do this." He growled, his knuckles turning white on the wheel.

"I guess... I felt the need to prove myself." Madge murmured. "To the others."

"Haymitch used you." Gale said, shaking his head.

"Stop saying that." She said, grabbing his hand and pressing her lips to it. "You said that last night too."

"I know but I'm right." He said.

"Alright." She pulled on her new short brown hair. The curly ends were fun to spring between her fingers. The car slowed as they reached the gate. "This is my stop." She said, oddly cheerful.

"I could back up right now." He said, not meeting her eye.

"I'll be fine, Gale." She said and opened the car door.

"I love you." He said, grabbing her arm.

"I know." She said and leaned forward. Gale kissed her slowly, to make the moment last. She smiled as she pulled away. Gale tried to memorize everything about her. "I love you too."

"I'll be here." He reminded her. "Remember that you're my first priority. Not Mellark."

"I know." She said for the second time. Gale sat for an hour. He watched the darkened tunnel in front of him. He couldn't stop imagining her smiling face as she ran through the gate to him. When Peeta finally could be seen through the shadows he stood, getting out of the jeep.

"Where is she?" He called. Peeta limped against the wall.

"She told me to leave her." The blonde called out to him.

"No, no, no." Gale slammed the door, "that wasn't the plan." He leaned down covering his sweating face with a hand.

"She'll be out." Peeta said, looking behind him as he closed the gate behind him.

"It was never about you." Gale snarled, "this whole thing." Gale opened and slammed the car door again. "She wanted people to think she wasn't worthless."

"She's brave, she isn't worthless." Peeta's eyebrows knitted together.

"I told her that." He sighed, "but she didn't want to hear it from me." He turned away from the man across from him. "It was your damn girlfriend." Gale leaned against the tunnel wall in front of the car. "I don't understand why her opinion matters so damn much."

"You love Madge." Peeta said, finally realizing.

"Of course I love her." Gale said turning back to Peeta. "She's wearing my engagement ring."

"I should have told her to leave me." Peeta said after the initial shock of the situation.

"You should have." Gale growled. "You should have said that a thousand times." Gale opened the car door and slid into his seat. "Get in." He gestured to the passenger seat.

"Planning to leave without me, Mr. Hawthorne?"

"Wasn't planning on it." He smiled looking up at his fiancée. "I wanted Mellark to feel bad."

"Looks like it worked." Madge made Peeta shift to the back. "He looks like some fed him baby food." She closed the door. Gale laughed loudly and reversed the car.

"Was she there the whole time?" Peeta murmured.

"Not the whole time." Madge grinned.

"There was a sheer moment of panic there." Gale said, pressing on the accelerator. They shot out of the tunnel in silence.

"Good." Madge smiled slightly, "wanted to keep you on your toes."

Gale scoffed, "I knew you could do it."


	9. Club Woes

Madge watched them from across the room. The condensation of her drink was pooling on top of her hand and her palm had gone numb to the cold. "Stop it." Her friend said.

"Roxanne, I can't." She sighed.

"He doesn't even know you're alive- literally." Her friend's eyes bulged out of her head as she exaggerated.

"I know." Madge frowned.

"Are we going to come here every night just to watch him?" Roxanne waved her hand about, "because it's going to get boring for one of us." Her tall friend turned back to the bar, ordering another drink.

"I know." Madge said and looked into her glass.

"And if he does notice you..." Roxanne said, pausing to take a long drink, "what are you going to say?" She laughed dryly, "oh hey Gale... I'm alive. Turns out your perfect little girlfriend has been helping the Capitol this whole time so that she didn't lose her life."

"I don't know." Madge cried out. "I get he would never understand. It kills me to see him now but I deserve the pain." Madge said and looked back across the dance floor. "Where did he go?" Roxanne turned away from the bar.

"Oh." She said, looking over Madge's shoulder.

"Did he leave with that girl? I knew he would." Madge said and looked down at her bright green pumps and skinny jeans.

"No, I didn't." Madge spun around, tipping some of her drink onto the floor.

"And I am going to be on my way..." Roxanne said, moving towards the dance floor.

"Madge," Gale nodded at her.

"Gale." She squeaked.

"You've been in here a lot." He murmured. "I've been watching you every time you look away from watching me."

"Why haven't you said anything?" She whispered, not trusting her voice.

"I didn't know what I was going to say. I just coming back to the club, hoping something will come to me."

"Has it come to you?" Madge set down her glass. Her hands were shaking and her lip had started to quiver.

"I think so."

"I'll answer anything." She sighed. "Any of your questions you have about my disappearance. I'm tired of the lying and the constant nightmares." He smiled sadly.

"I don't care about any of that." He grabbed her hand, pulling her towards him. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." She could see the blue of tears pooling in her eyes.

"I don't ever want to part with you." He continued. She let out a relieving sigh.

"Oh same, Gale." She pressed herself against him. Running her hand over his cheek and down his neck.

"I want you to marry me." He choked out. "Please." Madge leaned back.

"What?" She cried out.

"That's what I came up with." He whispered. "Please."

"If you knew what I've done," He cut her off with a soothing kiss.

"We have a file on you at base. All the things you've done and all the things they've done to you." He pushed her hair off her face.

"But..." She searched for another reason.

"Just marry me." He said, searching her eyes.

"I will." She smiled.


	10. Complications

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In addition of "New Parents"- back story details.

I could feel my voice becoming hysteric, "what sort of complications?" My head snapped to each concentrating nurse. "Someone answer me."

"Move back, Mr. Hawthorne." One of the nurses grabbed my arm. I fought her, bringing myself back to grab Madge's hand.

"No, Gale!" Madge screamed as nurses tried to move me around the room away from my wife.

"I'm right here." I called over one of the nurse's head. "You're going to be just fine."

"Your wife is suffering from Shoulder Dystocia, Mr. Hawthorne." I tried to move around the nurse.

"Just please." I sighed and tried to force myself out of the corner of the room again. "Is she going to be okay?" I was on the verge of screaming.

"You need to calm down, Mr. Hawthorne." The nurse soothed. I watched as they forced Madge onto her back from her original position on her knees.

"Please" She looked helpless as she was surrounded by nurses. Her face was red with pain and her mouth slackened with another gut piercing scream. I fought the nurse easily and was trying to get back by Madge's side.

"I'll escort you outside." The nurse murmured, looking back at my wife.

"No, I don't want to. Please. No. Madge! Madge." She watched me be forced from the room. Her eyes widened in fear.

"Gale!" She screamed and grabbed the nearest nurse to her.

"You're going to be fine." I screamed as the door slammed in my face. "You're going to be..." the words died in my mouth. I backed away from the closed door.

"Are you alright, Sir?" A young nurse asked, putting her hand on my shaking arm. "Do you need a chair?"

"No, I want to be with my wife." I snarled. The nurse blinked up at me, clearly surprised at the venom in my voice, and then patted my arm.

"Sorry to have disturbed you." She murmured and made her way back to the front desk. I looked around and then pounded on the door.

"Let me back in." I said looking down at the handle.

"Sir, you're disrupting the piece." A large man said, walking towards me. His white coat and shining badge showed he was a doctor.

"Please." I said, looking him square in the eye. "I want to be with my wife." The doctor glanced at the door in front of me.

"Behave," he warned jokingly and had a nurse unlock the door. I walked in with the doctor. The nurses looked tired and so did Madge.

She was holding a bundle of blankets to her chest, her eyes were fluttering open and closed. "Mm Gale." She murmured when I took her hand.

"Hi you." I smiled but my eyes lingered on the moving blanket.

"Take her..." She sighed and lifted the blanket with shaking arms.

"Her?" I smiled and eagerly cradled the baby. The girl in my arms was warm under all the blankets they had wrapped her in.

"Yeah," Madge smiled. "She's so beautiful." Her eyes drooped with fatigue. My daughter's red face poked through the blankets. I left Madge's side and collapsed into a chair.

"Hey baby girl." I whispered and drew a finger through her short dark hair. She squirmed and blinked up at me. "Look at those pretty eyes." I smiled.

"What's her name?" One of the nurses asked me carefully. They probably thought I was going to snap.

"Consult my sleeping wife." I said softly. "That's not my department."

"We'll be back in an hour." The nurse whispered and closed the shade behind Madge. I ignored her.

"What are we going to name you?" I wondered. My daughter open and closed her mouth, her eyes were wide and curious as they drifted around the room.

"How about Penny?" I smiled.

"That's a dog's name." Madge muttered.

"Meredith?" I asked looking up at Madge. "After your mother." She turned on her side.

"No..." She said.

"Are we going to continue the long line of 'm' names?" I asked her. She smiled.

"Can we?" I chuckled. Like she needed to ask. Both of them already had me wrapped around my finger.

"Of course." I looked back my daughter, her little hand had now been exposed and the fabric of her onesie was reaching towards my thumb.

"How about... Marcy?" I made a face. "Okay not Marcy." She snorted.

"Mason?"

"That's a boy's name, love."

"Right..." I gave my daughter my thumb.

"May." Madge said, dreamily.

"She was born in August..." I said and rolled my eyes.

"So?" Madge sighed, "fine..."

"Mackenzie." I lingered, hoping Madge would like it.

"Weird." She groaned. "Melanie."

"Not bad." I said. "I can call her Melly."

"Okay, no." Madge laughed.

"Meg." I said. Madge smiled softly.

"I like that." I grinned. "We can name our next daughter that."

"Next daughter?!" I cried out, "oh no." I said and stood. "We're not having another." I said and stormed around the room. "I hate hospitals now, Madison is the last. I'm sorry. I can't go through the last 9 hours again. I can't go through the last 9 months again! I gave myself headaches every day worrying."

"Madison?" Madge whispered. "It's perfect."

"Huh?" I said, trying to remember what I just said.

"You just called the baby Madison- in your loud rant that was unnecessary."

"Oh..." I said. "Hey, Madison." I smiled and handed her to Madge.

"We can shorten it to Madi if we want." Madge said and kissed the newborn's forehead.

"Maybe I should change my name in Male." Madge raised an eyebrow. "Kidding.." I smirked. "I was kidding." I grumbled.


	11. Boating

The wind was moving the boat back and forth in the dark water. The sun was high in the sky and casting a glow on the waves around us. The shade of the boat was helping with the heat. The two older children had gathered around the back of the boat.

Madison and Rowan were fighting about who got to perform their trick first. It mostly involved just jumping off the boat into the water but my husband and I let them have their fun. I pulled on my wet bathing suit. It was uncomfortable against my newly protruding stomach.

I looked over at my husband who was laughing loudly after making faces at the toddler in his arms. Meg grabbed onto her bottle and had began to shake it madly with happiness. I opened my arms and took a heavy two year old into my grasp.

Madison looked over her shoulder. Her dark brown hair had matted onto her back. She smiled, her two front teeth missing. "Watch this, Dad!" She cried and plugged her nose cascading into the water. My husband cringed but clapped when she bobbed to the surface.

"Relax." I muttered, grabbing at the squirming toddler in my arms. Her hands found my cheeks, pushing them together. "She has a life jacket on." My words jumbled together.

"I'm sorry..." My husband laughed and looked away for a second. "Didn't quite catch that last thing." I glared and peeled off my daughter's small hands.

"They're safe." I gestured to the life vests. Madison climbed aboard and struck a pose.

"Well?" She grinned and tapped her foot impatiently. "What rating was that?"

"Ten." My husband winked.

"Again?" The eldest child groaned. "Dad... that's the fourth ten."

"I'm very predictable." Madi sighed and reached for her towel. Rowan got up, his crazy dark hair, windblown in every direction under his blue baseball cap.

"My turn?" He asked. Gale got up from his chair and collected his son in his arms. "No!" Row yelled and latched onto his father. "Mom!" He cried.

"Always asking mom to rescue you." My husband tisked. I laughed.

"Let him go." I grinned and moved Meg to my other knee.

"But..." My husband pouted like a child at me. I rolled my eyes and removed my daughter's grip from my hair.


	12. The New Katniss

I walked into the lobby. People parted like the red sea as I stepped off the elevator and walked to my office. I answered soft good mornings and hellos from my staff. Someone handed me a leather planner and a coffee. I looked through the list of meetings through the day.

I opened the tall glass doors of my lounge and glided past a young lady, looking down at her cell phone. I shook my head and turned into my office. It was quiet. The sun flooded the office from the large picture windows behind my desk. My computer hummed as I turned it on. I leaned back and then leaned forward to the black phone in front of me.

I called the front desk of my lounge. "Katniss." I said curtly, "shit." I hung up. "I don't have a assistant." I muttered and smacked my forehead. My computer binged with unanswered emails. I reached for my mouse and read through the memos.

"Ah ha! Personal assistant." I read through the email and looked at the clock. "She's late." I murmured. I sat back rereading emails and answering a few important ones. "Wait a moment." I stood and crossed the room in a second.

I stuck my head out of the heavy black door. The young lady was wearing a streamline strapless lilac dress and had her blonde hair pinned up. I checked my planner, "uh Ms. Undersee?" I looked up. She had dropped her phone into her designer purse and collected her things.

"Hello." She nodded curtly. I moved aside to let her in. I couldn't help watching her backside as she swayed towards one of my winged chairs. I fixed my tie and walked around my desk.

"Mr. Hawthorne." I said and extended my hand. Her big blue eyes flickered to my outstretched hand.

"Pleased to meet you." Her voice lingered in my head. It was clear and nice to listen to, unlike Katniss' bored tone. Her handshake was firm and her hands were soft.

"The pleasure is mine." I smiled and leaned back in the swivel chair. She handed me a prepared folder of her personal credentials. I looked over it quickly.

I must have made a face because she said quickly, "is something wrong?" I looked up at her and shook my head.

"Can you type?"

"Without looking at the keys." She said and smiled.

"Can you send an email?"

"Within a second." She nodded.

"Can you answer a telephone?"

"Hello, Gale Hawthorne's office of Hawthorne Publishing. How can I be an assistance?" She said loud and without falter.

"My dear, you are over qualified." She smiled shyly. "When can you start?" Her smile fell and she glanced at her gold watch.

"Now." She said and made eye contact once more.

"I don't need to show you to your desk." She gathered her things and left as fast as she had appeared. At lunch one of co-workers stopped me.

"Hey Thom." I nodded and shook his hand.

"How is the new Katniss?" He asked. I thought for a second.

"I almost wish I had a new assistant."

"That bad?" He made a face.

"God no." I said and topped off my ice tea. "I want nothing more than to take her back to my apartment and show her a good time." Thom smirked.

"Then you won't mind if I do?" He moved around me and set his tray next to the little blonde.

"Hell's teeth." I muttered.


	13. Prom

Madge gathered her skirts one hand. With the other she reached out to the banister. Each step was a struggle in the tall shoes she had borrowed from her mother's closet. When she reached the first floor, she relaxed. Her skirts fell around her a mixture of blues and greens.

Now all she had to do is stand in front of the fireplace for endless picture taking until her date came. He wasn't her parent's first choice for a boyfriend or a prom date but Madge couldn't help but adore him. They were lab partners in second period, Chem. At first she couldn't stand his come backs and smart tone but the more they worked together and met outside of class the more she knew she couldn't be without him.

Her mother dragged her across the living room and positioned her in the exact spot Madge had envisioned standing. Her father was messing with the camera settings and swearing under his breath. this whole thing was began to be a disaster.

Madge reached up to touch her hair. There was so much hairspray that the hair had dried out completely and felt like straw. "Don't mess with your hair." Her mother snapped, "It looks great." It had been piled up on her head with a mess of curls and shiny bobby pins. She glanced out the window at the setting sun.

Her dad gave a triumphant yell and the first flash took over the room. Madge squinted and looked down at her shoes. "Smile, darling." Her mother said pointing to her own dimples. She smiled and her eyes were blinded by flash.

"I wasn't blinking right?" She asked her father.

"No, you look beautiful." Madge smiled slightly and pulled at the corset of the dress. The doorbell rang and she snapped her head up to look at the door. Her mother wandered off and Madge couldn't take her eyes off the foyer doorway.

"Don't you clean up nice." She heard her mother astonish.

"Thanks." Gale murmured. He came out of the foyer and offered her a small smile. In a second she melted into his side to kiss his cheek.

"Beware of the flash." She whispered in his ear. He chuckled and ran a finger over her exposed back.

"MM beware of the flesh." He whispered back. She blushed and moved aside to let him shake hands with her father. They spent an hour with plastered smiles and aching cheeks but soon they were stuffing themselves in her father's small convertible.

"Drive safely." Madge's father grunted.

"Have fun." Her mother said and blew kisses. Madge rolled her eyes but blew kisses back.

"You ready for this?" Gale smiled and pulled the car into reverse. He turned to look over his shoulder and left the long driveway.

"Ready as ever." She beamed and waved to her father and mother.


	14. Harsh Night Ahead

It was like any other night. I was just getting out of the mines. Thom and I were laughing about a recurring joke between ourselves. It was warm out and the cicadas were screaming in our ears. We parted ways as I headed home to my beautiful wife and him to his growing family.

Madge had told me that she was pregnant a few weeks ago. The feeling of elation had filled me from my toes up. Now I couldn't wait until I got to see her. The seam was darkening and only a few of the lights around me flickered on. Only miners were out on the street.

I counted the houses, even though I knew exactly which one was ours. Madge had made red and white checkered curtains for the windows facing the road. She was constantly washing the coal dust out of them. I smiled slightly of the friendly glow of our house.

I opened the door and walked in. The house was filled with the smell of cooking rabbit and potatoes. I took a deep breath and dumped my dirty things in a large rubber tub by the door. I removed my boots and glanced into the kitchen.

Madge wasn't swaying her hips at the counter. She wasn't anywhere to be seen. "Babe?" I called. I walked back, opening the bedroom door. Blonde hair could be seen on the other side of the bed. "Madge?" I whispered.

A painful cry sent a shiver down my spine. In a second I was on the other side of the room. Blood coated the floor around the pool of my wife's short denim dress. She held onto the sheets hanging off the side of the bed.

She looked up at me. Her eyes were bloodshot with tears and her face was red with sweat and pain. "Oh God." I whispered, trying to figure out the scene playing out around me.

"Help me." She choked out. "Gale..you have to help me." Another cry broke through the quiet house. As Madge leaned against the bed, I got down in front of her. I was afraid to touch her. She looked ready to break.

Finally the word came to me, miscarriage. Madge had lost the baby. My own body shook. "What do I do?" I wondered aloud. Madge's hair had matted to her forehead and she made eye contact again.

"Mrs. Everdeen," she whispered. I reached out to her cheek, cupping it in my palm.

"It'll be okay." I said calmly. She leaned into my touch and nodded. I stood quickly, running back to the front door. I pulled on my boots and ran out into the night. It wasn't a long run to the Everdeen's but my breath was coming at spurts when I pounded on their door.

Mrs. Everdeen was wiping her hand on a cloth when she opened the door. Prim peaked around her confused. "Gale?" She asked, surprised to see me at the hour.

"It's Madge." I bit out. "She's had a miscarriage." It was the first time saying it out loud. It was hard coming to the realization of what was really happening. "You have to help me, I don't know what to do." Mrs. Everdeen and Prim gathered their things.

"Come on," Prim said sweetly and took my arm. "Everything will be okay." I let out an shaky laugh.

"Thanks." I said and patted her hand.


	15. Advice

Madge rubbed her hand over the soft armrest of the chair she was lounging in. It was raining outside and she had set up a pail in the middle of the room to catch the falling rain drops. The metal ping was alluring and she couldn't stop waiting for the noise to reach her ears.

Rory was pulling on a string on the pocket of his corduroys and was leaning against the tall cushions of the couch. "What do I do?" Rory asked, letting go of the string and looking down at his hands.

"Well, first off, I would stop bringing it up all the time." Madge said.

"It's hard though, if I don't remind him then he might forget." Rory sighed.

"I don't think he would forget, he has a lot on his mind right now but he wouldn't forget."

"You really think so?"

"Oh, sure." Madge smiled, and leaned back in the chair.

"Are you going to talk him into it?" Rory asked, his eyes wide and hopeful.

"Err... I don't want to interfere." Madge said and tugged on her braid.

"You'll talk to him though." Rory said, nodding.

"But Rory, I should probably stay out of this." She grumbled, "I mean..."

"Gale listens to you, or he should." Rory turned his head to the side.

"I could mention it but I can't convince him." Madge said, struggling, "he doesn't work like that."

"I know that, he's my brother but come on Madge you're his..."

"If Gale wants to take you to the Hob and the woods then he will. I'm not going to tell him what to do." She said loudly and bit her lip. Rory sunk back into his chair.

"Jeez." He sighed, "I knew you couldn't help." Madge groaned.

"Have you talked to your mom about this?" She asked.

"No, she would never understand." Rory rolled his eyes.

"So you came to me?" She laughed, "never mind- I get it. Have you explained this all to Gale?" She wondered, "or did you just say you wanted to go?"

"I just said I wanted to go." He said and casted a worried glance. "Why?"

"I think Gale would change his mind, or begin to, if he knew where you were coming from." Madge said.

"You're right." Rory perked up. "He probably would."

"And at the same time... he would probably say it was too dangerous." Rory sagged and pulled on the string once more.

"He let you go." Rory muttered.

"Oh, I see. Is this what it's really about?" Madge said and crossed the room, sitting next to Rory.

"I don't understand how you got to go." Rory looked over at her.

"I don't want to say it was different... but it was different." She sighed, "It was in some way an experiment. Gale wanted to get- I don't know- some sort of reaction out of me. It was stupid."

"Do you like living here?" Rory cut in, and gestured around the small seam house.

"It's home." Madge smiled, looking around.

"But it's so different then..." Rory looked down at his hands.

"It is." Madge said softly.

"Do you miss that life?" Madge draped her arm around her brother-in-law.

"No." She admitted. "I like this one too much. I wouldn't trade it for the world."

"I won't ask Gale about the woods anymore. Or the hob. When he wants to take me, he can take me." Madge dropped her arm.

"Alright..." She said, a little surprised by the outburst.

"Thanks for your time." Rory mumbled.

"Oh, it's alright, the baby is sleeping any way." She walked the tall boy to the door and watched him run out into the rain.

"That was eventful." Gale said coming out of the bedroom, when Madge shut the door.

"Seriously." Madge sighed and walked over to sag against her husband.

"It's too bad he didn't know I was here."

"I think he knew at the end." Madge smirked.

"You think so?" Gale said and ran a hand through his hair.

"I know so." She giggled and stood on her tip-toes to kiss him. Gale's arms wrapped around her when they parted.

"Did you mean what you said about..." Madge cut him off with another kiss.

"Of course." She smiled.


	16. Girl Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Advice part 2

Rory had come back from the woods with a bounce in his step. Madge had seen him approaching from the window. She opened the front door and leaned against the wall. Rory smiled and took off his muddy boots.

"Man oh man." He beamed. "They're really something."

"I'll say." Madge said, and shook her head. "You can tell you had the time of your life."

"I shot a squirrel." Rory said and ran a hand through his hair, "Gale said that it was hard to do, but I did it."

"That's great." Madge laughed and took his coat from him. She turned when the back bedroom filled with a loud wail. "Sorry, that's..." she turned from her brother-in-law and ran into the other room. The cradle was rocking slowly when Madge leaned over and lifted the crying child out.

"What's wrong?" Rory asked, standing awkwardly in the doorway.

"Oh, nothing, just telling mama that he's awake." Madge sighed and held her son to her chest.

"Alright." Rory moved aside to let Madge through. They sat together on the couch in silence for a few moments. "Madge..."

"Yeah?" She asked and looked over at him.

"I have some things on my mind."

"Well, you can tell me- if you think it would help." She offered a sympathetic smile.

"You know... how girls feel." Rory said slowly. Madge giggled.

"Sure, since I am one."

"Right." Rory said and folded his hands in his lap.

"Do you want to talk about girls?" Madge asked, leaning forward as if to hear a secret.

"I don't know." Rory groaned, "there is this one..." he said.

"Tell me about her." Madge smiled and rocked the baby in her arms.

"She's pretty plain. For a girl, I mean. She doesn't dress up or anything. Most girls from the seam don't usually but I just wanted to put that out there. Her name is... never mind." He smiled slightly, "her hair is long." He held a hand up to his rib cage, "like this long. It's brown too like creamy milk chocolate." His hands were animated as he explained, "Her eyes are large too, like doe eyes, wide and super curious about everything. I'm not sure what color they are but if I had to guess-"

"You don't know what color her eyes are?" Madge cried out.

"No, no. I didn't mean it like that." Rory said, "I meant- I didn't know how to describe them. You know how the fog creeps in from the forest after a particularly hot day?" Madge nodded, "that color. Sometimes they're hard to look at, you know? Because they're so captivating and everything." Madge laughed.

"Sure, yeah." She grinned. Madge ran her finger over the smooth skin of her son.

"She has really pink cheeks too, like she is always blushing. God, it's so..." He looked up and his ears turned red, "anyway." He sighed. "Every time I'm around her, I don't know what to say. I get all choked up. I never get this way around girls." Madge chewed on her lip to keep from squealing.

"So you haven't actually talked to her?"

"No, I have." He nodded, "it's just been small talk and what not."

"Maybe you should start writing down ideas of conversation starters or what not."

"Do you think that will work?" He asked. Madge shifted the baby in her arms.

"It worked for Gale." She winked. Rory threw his head back and laughed loudly.

"I'll try that then." He beamed, "her name is Asher." He murmured.

"Rory and Asher?" His ears turned red. "I like it." She smiled. Gale opened the door and walked in.

"Hey you three." He grinned.

"See you later." Rory said to Madge. He reached out to his nephew and ran a hand through his hair.

"Leaving already?" Gale muttered, watching his brother, pull on his shoes.

"Yeah- I have some things to do. Bye." Gale closed the door behind his brother and turned his head.

"What was that all about?" He took off his boots and sank down next to his wife and son.

"He's starting a list of conversation starters." Gale's neck turned red.

"Is that so." He murmured. Madge giggled and kissed his cheek. Gale reached out and took his son under the arm pits, setting him against his shoulder. "Who is the lucky little lady?" Madge pinched her fingers together, pulling them across her mouth.

"My lips are sealed."


	17. Barriers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Town/seam roles are switched.

Unflawed music danced around the room like waves. The tone was blissful in the dark room. The sun was hidden behind grey clouds that moved over the district slowly. The long pale fingers traveled from each white and black key, pounding and gliding.

Gale's nose was scrunched up as he concentrated on the notes in front of him. Only pausing to push his glasses up on his nose. There came a knocking on the back door and all at once the music stopped filling the room. He swiveled on the bench and stood.

Madge was standing on the other side of the door. Her hands were stuffed in her pockets and she was rocking back and forth on her heels. She looked bored, her long dark hair was curled around her ears and then fell limply down her back. He fixed his blonde hair in the mirror.

She looked up when he opened the door suddenly. He came out to join her on the porch. "Hi.." he said shyly. His other friend Katniss, raised her eyebrows at him. Gale ignored her.

"Uh, hi." Madge said and glanced at Katniss. She shrugged.

"Hey." Gale said again, and offered a smile to the two of them.

"We brought those strawberries you wanted." Madge said, Katniss handed him the sack. Gale opened it slightly and looked at them. "Are they to your liking?" Madge grumbled.

"Oh, sure." Gale smiled and held up a finger. "One second." Katniss and Madge exchanged another glance as Gale ran into the house. He came out with the money and laid it out in Katniss' hand. "So I was thinking, Madge." She narrowed her eyes and looked up at him.

"You can think?" She gasped and pressed a hand to her chest, "the Mayor's kid can think." She whispered to Katniss and snorted.

"Give him a break." Katniss laughed, awkwardly. Gale rubbed the back of his neck.

"Right... ha ha... so I was thinking that you and I could go to the spring fling." He said, only looking down on Madge. She blushed scarlet and looked over at Katniss in dismay.

"Me? You want to take me?" She laughed loudly, "no, I couldn't."

"You... couldn't?" Gale sighed and gave Katniss a trying shrug.

"Hardly." Madge snorted, "because you're- you." She made a face.

"What does that mean?" He muttered.

"You're the Mayor's kid. How could you even stand being out with me? I'm from the seam. Our kind don't mix." She pointed a finger at my chest then hers.

"Well they should." I said, keeping my jaw from hardening into a mean sneer, "we live in the same district, go to the same school..." she cut me off.

"But that doesn't matter though, does it?" She snapped, "because you can clearly see the line separating us, you can see the physical appearance that makes us different, can see the wealth and well being." She shook her head.

"That doesn't matter to me." I whispered, "you just fail to realize that." Madge starred. Katniss rolled her eyes.

"It matters to me." Madge muttered, "I think it will always matter to me." Katniss and Madge turned and walked off the Mayor's property. Gale hung around the door, watching them until they were out of sight.


	18. Loser

"Do you have any eights?"

"Go fish."

"Do you have a four?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks, how about a two?"

"Nope, go fish."

"It is impossible for me to have more cards."

"Is that a forfeit?"

"No..."

"Good, now do you have any aces?"

"Unfortunately."

"You have the whole draw pile in your hands. So do you have any tens?"

"Uh... actually... wait... yes."

"Awesome, how about a four?"

"Didn't you already ask about a four?"

"Yeah, but I need another one."

"Here"

"Perfect- I think I'm going to win."

"Do you?"

"You have a bazillion cards and I have one."

"Yeah- you're going to win."

"Do you have... a three?"

"Do I have a three?" Gale murmured and looked through all the cards in his hands. "I don't think I do." His eyes lit up within a second, "HA GO FISH!" He threw his cards at his son and threw his hands up in the air. "Beat that, Rowan!" My husband did a victory lap around the room.

"Seriously?" I laughed and walked over to tousle my son's hair. "You haven't even won yet." I commented and looked at the scattered cards. Gale stopped and sighed.

"Oh, right." Rowan laughed and stood up, throwing his cards down on the pile.

"No, he forfeited this game a while ago, I'm going over to the Mellark's." Gale narrowed his eyes.

"No we're going to finish this game."

"Face it, Dad. You really suck at playing Go Fish." Rowan shut the front door behind him. I snorted and started picking up the cards around me.

"Spoken like a true ten year old." Gale rolled his eyes.

"Please- if we had played another game. I would have defiantly won." He picked up the card box and took a stack from me.

"Hey Dad, are you finished playing Go Fish? If so you promised me you would play Scrabble." Madison leaned against the wall, holding the game board and letters in hand.

"Sure." Gale said and put the cards onto the coffee table. I grabbed his arm before he could walk off.

"Do you remember the last time you played Scrabble?" He gave me a look and then stopped.

"Oh." He said, his eyes widening comically, "yeah." He turned back to Madison.

"Madi- think we could play another game?" She sighed.

"Sure let me go get Monopoly." I shook my head again.

"Monopoly isn't a good idea either..." My husband trailed off.

"Life then..." I gave Gale another look, "aw man, how do you screw up Life?" My daughter groaned. She left calling Meg's name.

"I have a game we can play." Gale murmured against the skin of my neck. I pulled away, turning towards the kitchen table.

"Is it who can set the table faster? Because I think I'll win." Gale grabbed my hips before I could take another step towards the kitchen.

"No I was thinking of moving to the bedroom..." He whispered in my ear.

"Really? I don't think you're that good at that game either." I joked and giggled when he nibbled on my ear.

"Don't test me, Mrs. Hawthorne."

"Oh I wouldn't dare." I said, widening my eyes at him, "I remember your grades... you were the best test taker."

Gale threw his hands up and sauntered away muttering repeatedly, "I give up."


	19. Sales Pitch

I made note of the dull throb in the back of my head. I was nervous to say the least. It had been a while since Gale and I had started to see each other and I had finally had the guts to ask him to dinner with my parents. The travelling salesmen wasn't like anyone I had dated before so I wasn't sure how the dinner would work out.

I fixed her hair for the fourth time in the mirror. My blonde ringlets were pulled back in a high ponytail. I pulled down my light pink layered chiffon tank and black sequined shorts and glided out of the bathroom. My apartment was so small that the faint smell of cooking asparagus was filling every room from the kitchen.

I walked out into the living room and began to set my narrow dining room table. The door bell sounded and I tried not to run over to buzz my guests into the building. I opened the door slightly and went back to placing the food on oven mitts scattered on the table. I turned with a pounding heart when someone knocked on the door.

"Hey Guys." I smiled when my parents came in. I walked over, kissing both of them on the cheek. "How was the drive, was the traffic bad?" I asked and moved back to the table, pulling chairs out for them.

"Not too bad." My mother said, hanging up her Burberry trench coat.

"I didn't have to honk at a single soul." My father winked and placed his Nautica rain jacket on the hook below.

"Well, that's good." I bit her lip, looking my mother's extensive diamonds she had chosen to wear and champagne gold Cartier watch. If that didn't drive away Gale, I sighed. My father rolled up his sleeves of his sweater and rubbed his hands together.

I hurried into the kitchen when the timer sounded and brought out the drenched in olive oil asparagus. I brought the dish over and set the plate out on the table. Then I looked at the time, he wasn't late yet, I reminded myself. I calmed my nerves by playing with the charm bracelet he had gotten me for my birthday.

Finally, the door bell sounded and I popped up to buzz in my boyfriend. My feet were already hurting in the dark Prada heels and I leaned against the wall, waiting for the tall dark haired man to walk in. When he did, I relaxed and ignored him when he rolled his eyes at me.

"We don't want what you're selling!" My father joked.

"Oh, Daddy." I groaned. Gale laughed loudly without any falter.

"I usually don't like what I'm selling either." He joked back and shook hands with my father and mother. "Gale," he said and nodded to the both of them.

"It's so good to have finally met you." My mother grinned, "we've heard so much about you."

"All good things, I hope." He smiled, and looked over at me. I closed the door and walked over to his side.

"Only the best," I murmured and pulled out a chair for him. I dished out food for my guests and watched Gale not even bat an eyelash when my mother started complaining about the women she played bridge with or when my father asked about his parents.

"My father, died when I was young." He said and cut another piece of his steak.

"That must have been very hard for you, growing up without a father." My own father grumbled. I wanted to smack myself in the forehead.

"It was a challenge, yes." Gale said dully, "but my mother and I worked through it."

"You're an only child then?" My mother asked.

"No, I have three other siblings, they were just too young to remember my father or when he died."

"Oh." My mother sighed.

"So give me the sales pitch!" My father said and clapped his hands, "I think I'm ready for this." Gale laughed loudly. I watched my father and Gale laugh as Gale gave his pitch in his sale's voice.

"What do you think?" Gale finished. My mother sent me her approving look from across the table. It was going well. I let out an even breath and relaxed in my chair.

"I'll take twenty!" My dad said and got out his Gucci leather wallet teasingly. It was a long night after that and Madge dished out lemon sorbet from the freezer. Gale and my parents were laughing about commercials they had recently had seen on television.

I gathered the bowls when we were finished and set them in the overflowing sink. "Well, we really must be going." My mother said, glancing down at her watch. Gale and I stood up with them. "It was so nice of you to host us, darling." My mother, kissed my cheeks.

"It was a pleasure." I murmured and took her hand in mine. She glanced over my shoulder and held her hand out to Gale.

"I'm still so glad to have met you." She said honestly, "I hope we see more of you in the future." My ears perked and I tried to keep my smile from broadening. My father and Gale shook hands and then had excused themselves from my apartment.

"Wow..." I said and kicked my heels across the room.

"Long night." Gale laughed.

"You can say that again." I groaned.

"Come on, I'll help you with the dishes." I took his outstretched hand, "then I can give you a sales pitch for moving towards the bedroom." I tossed my head back and laughed.

"We'll see if I want to buy."


	20. Confused Feelings

Gale reached out and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. Madge smiled shyly and looked up at the cloudless blue sky. "I was thinking..." he started and leaned away from her.

"Dangerous." She smirked and giggled lightly, "sorry- go on."

"I was thinking about us." He continued.

"What about us?" She asked, her eyebrows knitting together.

"I don't know." He sighed, "what is this, you know, between us?"

"We're getting to be friends aren't we?" She smiled.

"Uh, sure." He said. They listened to the cicadas around them.

"Have you started that assignment for Ms. Rose yet?" Madge asked and dove into her yellow backpack.

"No." He said and rubbed the back of his neck, "I wasn't planning on doing it." He grumbled.

"Why not?" Madge asked and opened her folder.

"I don't need to." He said and made a face.

"Too cool for school, Hawthorne?" She smiled.

"Madge, what does it matter?" He snapped, "school is a waste of time- I'm just going to end up in mines anyway."

"What's gotten it you?" She glared.

"Nothing." He said and reached forward to pluck the grass out of the ground.

"It's something." She sat and crossed her arms over her chest. "You've been acting weird lately. I can't figure it out."

"I love you." He blurted. Madge blinked.

"I'm sorry, what?" She squealed and held her folder up to her mouth.

"It's been eating me away." He admitted. She put the folder down slowly.

"I don't know what to say." She sighed.

"There is a pretty obvious answer." Gale groaned and stood, turning to leave. "If it doesn't come to you." He shrugged. Madge watched him disappear beyond the tree line. She leaned forward, unsure if could allow herself any more movement.

"I love you." She whispered. His words bounced around her brain, until she began to cry. She didn't know what she felt with Gale. They had grown closer since Katniss had left but Madge wouldn't go straight to love. She stuffed her things back in and zipped it closed.

She threw her backpack around her shoulders and stood. Suddenly the blooming meadow seemed lonely. She walked out of the tree line and out into the square. Her hands were shaking as she tried to think through the last few months with Gale.

Sure, her stomach flipped every time he laughed. And sure, she blushed every time he complimented her. But Madge just thought that was a silly crush. She could picture his smile and glower in the back of her mind. She stopped Gil Mellark in his tracks.

Her smiled. "How can I help you?" He asked and leaned against the bakery wall.

"Hold this, will you?" She handed him her backpack.

"Uh... too lazy to go home?" He asked, "or a reason to come back to see me?"

"Neither." She said and left him. She started with a fast walk and then full out sprinted through the seam. She glanced around, unsure of where she was actually going.

"Are you lost?" She jumped and looked over her shoulder at him.

"Yes actually." She looked over his shoulder, "I'm looking for Gale Hawthorne."

"I think he buried himself alive." Gale shrugged.

"That's too bad... I wanted to tell him that I love him too."

"Seriously too bad." Gale draped his arm around her shoulders. She smiled up at him.


	21. Blue Eyed Mistake

I tossed, turned and glanced at the clock. It was hardly an hour since I had forced myself into bed. Flashes of flesh and sheets crawled in the back of my mind. I still wasn't sure what I saw and at the same time I was certain of what I saw. I groaned quietly and sat straight up in bed.

"Babe, is something wrong?" Madge whispered sleepily and leaned against the head board.

"No." I said and threw my legs off the side of the bed. She wrapped an arm around and rubbed my chest.

"You never get up like this." She sighed and kissed his neck. I ignored the comment.

"I have a stomach ache." I muttered and got up, stumbling over heels and converse shoes to the bathroom. I turned on the lights and shut the door behind me. I leaned on the counter and watched my eyes search my reflection. I smack my palms into the granite and turned on the water.

The even trickle made me concentrate on something other than the utter feeling of betrayal. There came a soft knocking on the door, "do you need me to get you something?" I rolled my eyes and cupped my hands together under the tap. I splashed it against my face until it soaked my shirt straight through to the skin.

"No." I grunted and wiped my face with a towel. "How about you ask Mellark?" I threw open the door and slid back into bed.

"What about Peeta?" She whispered, "Gale, what are you talking about?" I looked up at her and snorted.

"Please, I saw you two the other night." Madge raised an eyebrow.

"You saw us?" She chuckled lightly again, "Explain exactly what you saw."

"I'd rather not and get on with the divorce." I sneered, "the image is still burnt into the back of my mind."

"Divorce?" She squealed and leaned against the end of the bed. "You might want to rethink that."

"I don't want to rethink anything." I snarled.

"Oh really, because I haven't seen him in over a month."

"You were at his apartment!" I cried, "You were in his bed!" I threw the sheets off myself and got into her face. She looked clearly confused.

"No, Gale. I haven't been in his apartment or his bed. What were you doing at his apartment?" She crossed her arms.

"I was dropping off the paperwork he needed for our core project next week." Gale said, her blue eyes were still as wide and curious as they were when we started.

"And you saw me there...?" She asked.

"Yes." I said, unwavering from her confused tone and innocent eyes.

"And I was with... Peeta?" I was beginning to doubt my twenty-twenty vision.

"I don't know." I sighed and grabbed my hair.

"Peachy." She glared, "when you figure it out. I want to be the first to know." She walked over to the bed and stole my pillow, throwing it in my direction. "You can march your ass down those stairs and sleep on the couch."

"So what you're saying is that you haven't slept with Mellark?" I wondered.

"NO!" She screamed and slapped me across the cheek.

"Then who did I see?"

"Some other blonde naked woman!" Madge cried. I scratched my head and headed for the doorway.

"I'm so sorry," I frowned, "really."

"Yeah, well, I'm sorry that you actually thought I would cheat." She rested her hands on her hips.

"Guess the joke is on me." I shrugged and started to close the door.

"It really is." She scoffed, "since I found out yesterday that I'm carrying your child." I stopped in the doorway. The hair on the back of my neck rose and I started to turn around. A rush of air sent my eyes watering. The slam of the door shook the house.

"Hell's Teeth- what have I done?" I whispered.


	22. Sparring Chance

In the dimming candle light a stage coach pulled up to the palace gates. The horses were hardly a shadow in the raw early hours of the morning. The gate's keepers opened the heavy iron doors with a welcoming creaking sound that filled the silent night. Queen Hazelle looked out as the horses lurched forward. Extensive gardens spread out from the drive on either side. She reached out a hand to her son.

"We are here." He blinked and stretched, waking up from the long journey.

"Ah, good." He said and leaned forward to look out at the grounds. They trotted around a circle drive and were met by lanterns and warm smiles from servants and a few guards. The marble stairway was intimidating to Prince Gale. He even sent her an uneasy glance.

"We are just visiting." She reminded him. The door opened and someone offered their white gloved hand to the Queen, she nodded respectfully and reached out. Her dark purple skirts brushed against the ground and someone scrambled out to take them in hand. The Prince ignored the hands and welcoming smiles and pounded his black shoes up the stairs with his mother.

"Your chambers are this way, Your Highness." A young maid said as she carried sheets behind them. The Prince looked in every open room, memorizing and glowering at the expensive furniture and china that could be seen in each.

"The King will meet you in the morning, Milady." The maid smiled at the visiting Queen.

"Very well." She said as the guards opened her door for her. The Prince looked on as the doors closed.

"You're just down the hall." The Prince set a long stride as he walked up to the two heavy doors at the end of the hallway.

"Breakfast is in the conservatory if you're interested, Sir. Someone will be here to take you." He nodded and dismissed her.

"They must be seen together." The King paced in front of the visiting Queen.

"All in good time." Queen Hazelle said softly.

"How to get them together?" The King ran his hand over his growing beard.

"That's an easy question to answer. The difficult question is will they like each other?" The King pulled back his cape and sat back in a chair.

"I am sad to say my daughter is quite stubborn." He looked over at the Queen.

"My son is that way as well, probably more so."

"We have our work cut out for ourselves." The King sighed.

"We both agree they are the perfect pair for the kingdoms."

"By far." The King said, "Aye, your son and kingdom will be a powerful ally."

"Once we sort out capital affairs."

"Of course." He nodded. "What is the plan then?" He leaned forward, bracing his hand on the armrest.

"A sparring contest."

"Good morning." A cheerful maid smiled and led him out into the hall. The Prince raised an eyebrow. "I'm supposed to take you to the conservatory. For breakfast."

"I think I can find it on my own." The Prince brushed by her.

"Do you think so, Sir?" She asked.

"Easily." He said and left her at the top of the stairs. His tall leather boots made no sound on the floor and it was easy for the Prince to explore the extensive castle. There was a large cream door that was open in the slightest. Music poured out beautifully. He stopped and glanced in through the crack.

A grand piano was being played. The musician was a small blonde. Her fingers danced over the keys expertly and her dress displaced as she moved to the reach the farther keys. Gale moved to open the door further to see more of girl. Her bangs were pinned back by a sparkling pin but the rest of the hair was curling down to the middle of her back.

The girl was humming under her breath as she watched the sheet music in front of her. He walked in quietly and leaned against the wall, memorizing her in the state she was in. She ended the song and sighed, losing her perfect posture for a second. "You play very well." He remarked.

She jumped and turned, "you frightened me!" She cried out and stood, creating distance between them. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" She grabbed a fire poker from the holder and held it straight out at him, warningly.

"I am Prince Gale Hawthorne from the Twelfth Kingdom." She relaxed.

"Of course you are." She sighed and put the poker away. She smoothed out her champagne pink skirts. "Sorry about the..." She gestured at the poker.

"Understood." He laughed, "good that you go straight to defending yourself." He smiled. "That could have skewered my heart." She blushed and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"Yes, good thing it did not." He walked over taking her arm.

"May I accompany you to breakfast?" She smiled.

"Of course."

"You should try the sparring grounds." The King said to the young Prince.

"Should I?" He smiled, "and what test is this?"

"Oh, not a test." The King said, and shook his head, "just offering you something to do."

"You should go." His mother nodded. Gale glanced out the windows of the library. "Will you?" His mother pressed.

"I could not pass up the offer." Gale nodded and stood. "If you excuse me." He nodded to his mother and the King.

Gale pulled on his armor and looked towards the field. Someone was already attacking a dummy with full combat skills. He snapped on his helmet and picked up his sword.

"Care to hit something living?" He asked the knight in front of him. They didn't answer, but did attack within the moment. "Whoa!" Gale cried and ducked, lashing out at the man in front of him. He glanced up to see the King watching from the balcony above. He was tripped up by the opponent. The sword was lingering over his heart.

"That could have skewered your heart as well." He froze, remembering that voice from earlier.

"You..." He murmured. His opponent dropped her sword and removed her helmet. Long blonde hair tumbled over her shoulders. She smiled brightly, her blue eyes glinting in the reflection of his armor.

"You are not the best Prince." She said, looking over him and getting to her feet. She offered him a hand.

"And you can say that to me?" He grumbled and took her hand, getting to his own feet.

"A Princess just beat you, are you not embarrassed?"

"A Princess...?" He murmured, confused. "Oh no." He groaned.

"You do not know who I am..." She giggled, "and the match got better!" She cried.

"I am so sorry, Your Highness." He apologized.

"For?" She smiled. "No need for a apology- you can make it up by walking me to my chambers. MM and please do call me Madge. Your Highness and Princess are starting to be a bore."

"It would be an honor... Madge."


	23. Two Truths and a Lie

Madge looked down at the glowing text. She sneered at the "have to work late," bullshit that Gale had sent her for the forth night in a row. Madge sat back on their king sized bed and glanced down at the glistening ring on her fourth finger.

She let out a frustrated scream and threw her phone down onto the shag carpet in front of her. Madge stared at her reflection in her vanity mirror. She knew he was out with her. That co-worker of his with the long brown hair.

The girl with the no care attitude and tight clothes. She looked down at her lace top with little jean shorts. Madge looked like a school girl. She sighed and reached out to her phone.

She looked through her contacts and smirked as she came upon his name. Madge pressed the call button and pulled off her engagement ring.

Gale lost his footing at the bar. His drink had almost left his hand when he saw who had just walked in.

"Isn't that your girl?" Thom smirked besides him, "damn she needs a leash." Gale's jaw dropped when he got a good look what she was wearing.

"Is that... Mellark... with her? Wait how...? I don't want to know." Katniss muttered, and reached for her whiskey. Gale gulped. Her milky white thighs peaked out from the second skin leather dress she had glued to her curvy body.

"I'm sorry- she needs handcuffs." Thom chuckled. Madge's make-up was all coal black and smoky unlike her usual pinks and browns. Her lips were deep red and plump as she smiled up at the blonde.

His fiancée giggled as Peeta Mellark's hand lingered further down her back in what Gale could only name, "dangerous territory." Thom whistled.

"I don't think you're getting married anymore." He gestured to her ring less hand.

"Thom." Gale said through grinding teeth, "shut up." Madge caught his eye and she reached up to kiss Peeta's cheek, pointing towards the bar.

"Careful, you'll break your glass." Katniss said and gestured to his grip. Madge sashayed towards them with a shit-eating grin on.

"Oh hey guys..." She said and leaned towards the bar between Gale and Katniss. Gale had to refrain leaning into her, she smelled like heaven. The bartender asked her what she wanted. "Beer in the bottle." Gale made a face.

She only drank cocktails, margaritas and martinis in his mind. The bartender took her bill and she turned to Gale. His eyes lingered on all her exposed skin then he finally met her baby blue eyes, "what are you doing?" He hissed.

"I could ask you the same thing." She smirked, "this doesn't look like work." Madge reached into her purse and pulled out her engagement ring. She dropped it into Gale's glass and watched it sink to the bottom. "Bye baby." She murmured and wandered back to Peeta.

"Shit." Thom chuckled, awkwardly. Gale starred at the ring.

"She doesn't know, does she?" Katniss asked him. "You haven't told your own fiancée about what your actual job is."

"Businessman is a safer job." Gale grumbled.

"It's safer to let her know who you really are." Thom agreed.

"She's with Mellark. How does she know Mellark?" Katniss sighed.

"I have no idea. She doesn't know that he's my boss." Gale grumbled.

"You've really... screwed up." Thom said and took a swig of his drink.

"She thinks you're my old college friends." Gale continued.

"You need to tell her everything..." Katniss murmured but Gale was already walking Madge's way. She was hanging off Mellark like a underpaid stripper. Thom and Katniss looked down at their drinks awkwardly.

"Madge." Gale said curtly, "we need to talk."

"No, we don't." She said sweetly.

"Look." Gale said and took her arm gently, "Mellark is not someone who was on my high school football team. We never went to the same high school." Madge let go of Peeta's arm and blinked up at Gale, "he's my boss. I work for him."

"She didn't know?" Mellark groaned.

"No." Gale grinded out.

"What?" She whispered and looked between the two men.

"Can we talk now?"

"Yes." She nodded. Gale took her elbow and pulled her out of the bar and out to his car. They slammed their doors and Gale pressed lock.

"Katniss and Thom- they're not college friends. They're co-workers." He said.

"Why didn't you just say?" Madge yelled. "I don't understand."

"We work for the military." He finally whispered. "We're agents, spies, covert, whatever you want to call us." Madge starred. Gale hit the dashboard. "I couldn't tell you."

"I think it's pretty important." She cried. "Were you ever going to tell me? We're getting married- or were." She said, "I think it's pretty important for your wife to know where you are and what you're doing." Gale looked out the car window.

"I know." He said, shaking away his frustrated tears. "That guy..." He said gesturing towards the bar. "The one you were hooking up with, Mellark."

"Your boss?" She sneered.

"We do whatever he says. That was one of the rules. We couldn't have personal relations. He doesn't know about our engagement or... us or anything." He looked over at her, "how do you know him?"

"We... I... met him at work. What was he doing at my work if you work for him?" Gale shrugged.

"I think he was onto us, that's why I started going to bars with people. I had to show him that I was single or something."

"So what you're getting at is that you risked your career to be with me? And for my safety you told me that you were a businessman?" Gale looked down at his hands on the wheel.

"Yes and I'm so..." Madge turned his face and molded her lips with his. She moved over the center console and onto his lap, running her hands through his hair. She pulled back to kiss down his neck, "sorry." He panted.

"Shut up." She muttered and unbuttoned his shirt, "do you still have that ring?" He felt for his pocket, finding it.

"Yeah." He nodded and rested his head against the headrest.

"Good." She smiled and nibbled on his undershirt collar.


	24. Permission

Gale leans against his bedroom dresser. His hands shake as he slowly looks up at the mirror. "Sir." His voice was wavering, "no." He sighed and looked down at his fists. He took a deep breath, "Sir." He said loud and strong, maybe too strong. Gale shook his head. "Sir." He said and starred at his reflection. He stood up and stretched, "screw it." He muttered and slammed the bedroom door behind him.

It was a long walk over. He still wasn't sure what he was going to say, his hands found his pockets. The air nipped at his cheeks and nose. He took a deep breath and he was sure he could see his breath. The Mayor's house looked condescending as he approached. Gale was almost ready to turn back. He opened the screeching gate and walked up to the door.

He raised a fist to the door. It hovered for a second, unsure of itself. Gale looked down at his feet and took a deep breath. "Sir," He said under his breath and looked up, knocking loudly on the front door. Gale stepped back and took another deep breath, only to let it out when the door opened.

"Ah, Gale." The Mayor smiled and opened the door wider, letting the young man in. "How are you on this brisk morning?"

"Oh fine," Gale lied. "Yourself?"

"Not bad." The man said and gestured to the coat hook. Gale shucked off the jacket and hung it up with shaking hands. "Come on through here to the sun room." Mr. Undersee beckoned. Gale watched his footing as he followed the Mayor through the house. He glanced up the stairs, hoping to see a flash of blonde or wide blue eyes. "She's not here." Gale sputtered and looked up, starring at the back of the man's head.

"Right." Gale nodded and tried to retain his footing.

"Did you want her to be...?" Mr. Undersee murmured as they approached large glass doors.

"Not hardly necessary." Gale said quickly and rubbed the back of his neck. "Thank you," He nodded at the Mayor when he opened the door for him. They sat at a circular table.

"Help yourself." The Mayor nodded at the food on platters and stands. Gale's stomach dropped to his feet. This was never going to happen.

Gale cleared his throat, "Sir." He said and leaned forward. "I'm just going to be frank. I have come up with speeches and explanations." He sighed, "but I'm not very good at presentation." The Mayor raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair.

"Go on." Gale closed his eyes for a second.

"Your daughter."

"Yes." The Mayor said. Gale could tell he was holding back a snicker.

"She means the world to me."

"Me too." The Mayor nodded.

"Back then with all the town seam and the different everything. It would have been impossible to ask this." Gale said.

"Alright." Mr. Undersee nodded.

"Can I have your permission to marry your daughter?" Gale asked, staring the man straight in the eye.

"No."

"Oh Sir, thank... what?" Gale murmured and the hair stood up on the back of his neck.

"Use the word- may." The Mayor said and glanced out the window. Gale's jaw dropped but he sat up and cleared his throat.

"Sir, may I have your permission." Gale said slowly, "to marry your wonderful daughter?" The Mayor sighed and looked away from the window. He glanced Gale over and pursed his lips. Gale's hands twitched in his lap.

"You may."


	25. Something of His

They walked around each other in the doorway, daring the other to say goodbye first. Madge wished she hadn't cried so much but the ache of her heart was hard to ignore. He reached out and cupped her cheek.

"We'll see each other soon, don't worry." Gale smiled sadly. But she did worry. In the back of her mind she had visions of him telling her there was another girl. Or the dreaded realization she loved someone completely different.

"Yeah." She nodded and looked down at her shaking hands, "keep saying that and eventually it will be true." Madge murmured. He shrugged. His hands molded with hers and pulled her forward. His tight embrace was the thing she was going to miss the most. His lips on the top of her head, his even calm breath, his smell, everything.

"Don't worry," he repeated. Her bottom lip trembled and she quickly hid her face in his chest. The tears stained his shirt and his large hands rubbed circles into her back.

"Oh, wait..." She dashed away from him and up the stairs. Her room was dark and she searched around for the sweatshirt he had given her. It no longer smelled like him and she didn't think there was any use other than it had been his. She ran down the stairs again and held it out to him. He cracked a smile. "It probably smells like me- since it doesn't smell like you."

"Sure." He said and pulled it over his head.

"That's easier since the zip is still broken." She said, pointing out the obvious.

"Bit small." He laughed.

"Not for me." Madge giggled. It was quiet as they tried to avoid each other's hurt gaze. "You should probably go." I gestured to the door.

"Yeah but I don't want to."

"I don't want you to either." Madge's smile faltered and she felt the tears pooling in her eyes. They kissed slowly, probably subconsciously memorizing their touch. They continued to linger in the doorway. Gale reached out to the door handle. Madge couldn't take her eyes off his grip but finally she glanced up at him.

"Bye." He smiled slightly.

"Bye." She smiled. He opened the door and walked out. Madge walked him walk to the end of her driveway. She closed the door behind her and slumped against it. Her head rolled back and she stared at the light fixture on the ceiling. "What am I going to do without you?" She murmured.

Madge gripped the banister as if she could go crashing down at any moment. Her heart thumped painfully, she walked into her room and curled up onto her bed. She reached out for the sweater and remembered she had sent it with him.

Tears pricked at her eyes and she buried her face in the pillows. In a matter of seconds the fabric was soaked through. When she had hardly no tears left, Madge let her face cool. She should have never given the sweater back to him. She missed it already.

But at the same time, she was glad it was with him.


	26. Expectations

Madge set the table to perfection. She grabbed out candles, the finest plates, the polished silverware, and the special occasion glasses. It looked great. She stuffed the vacuum away in the closed, and dimmed the lights.

She dashed up the stairs and peeled off her dingy clothes. Madge let the water run over her hand and she sighed. Her nerves were starting to turn against her and her stomach bubbled with uncontrolled nausea.

Madge stepped into the shower and pulled the curtain. She set her head back in the water and felt the liquid roll down her face, shoulders, and stomach. She quickly shampooed, conditioned and rinsed before jumping out of the tiled shower.

She turned on the curler and hairdryer. She brushed through the snarls and dried her hair until it was smooth. She turned her hair through the curling iron until the curls sprung down to her shoulders.

Madge ran through the second floor, naked. She pushed open her bedroom door and pulled her closet open. Dresses and Gale's work shirts were hung up on bright colored hangers. She pulled out a red dress that showed off her curves and toned stomach.

She put on little gold earrings, a knotted pearl necklace with a gold chain, and a gold bracelet Gale had gotten her for Christmas last year. Madge did her make-up and clipped her bangs back with a black barrette. She smoothed her dress over her stomach and looked in the mirror. Madge heard the door unlocked downstairs and she slipped her heels on, meeting her husband in the foyer.

He greeted her with a deep kiss and a satisfied smile. Gale dropped his briefcase onto the bench and hung his coat up. "You look great." He smirked. She struck a little pose.

"Thanks!" She smiled, "I feel great." He chuckled and kissed her again. She led him into the living room and turned into the kitchen.

"What's this for?" Gale smiled down at the table, "it's not my birthday..." Madge giggled. "It's not your birthday." Madge shook her head, "it's not a holiday." He murmured, "not our anniversary."

Madge beamed, "no."

"You're pregnant." Madge's smile fell and she giggled awkwardly. "That's what it is!" Gale laughed loudly and dragged her over by her hips.

"I can't believe you guessed." Madge pouted. Gale took her fat bottom lip between his teeth and leaned his forehead against his.

"I'm sorry."

"Oh, it's alright." She sighed, and ran her hands over his pressed work shirt. "I just had these silly expectations of sitting through dinner nervously and then moving to the dessert and reaching over. I would sort of smile and then you would know..."

"Sorry I let down your expectations." Gale said and rubbed the back of his neck. Madge shook her head, letting a few tears fall. "Don't cry." He whispered, "hey.. shh."

"You were supposed to be surprised too and elated and all that... shit that happens in the movies." She stomped a foot down quickly, Gale chuckled and placed his hands on the side of her face.

"Madgey, I love you with all my heart. I am proud of you every day. I am surprised with everything you say and do. I am elated with every movement and look that you give me."

"I love you too." Madge murmured. Gale's hands moved over her hips and his thumb smoothed over her abdomen. He kissed her slowly, bringing her closer to his touch.

"And you know..." he kissed her jaw, "that I will love our baby with every ounce of my love." Madge smiled sweetly and looked away.

"I know." She sighed and rested her hands on his hands, "I know."


	27. Confessions

I had been a while since either of them had said a word. The only sounds were the crackle of fire on wood and the distant hum of the wind pressing against the closed window. Gale watched Madge fall in and out of sleep. Her face lit up in the glow of the fire. He reached out and felt the smooth skin of her cheek.

She opened her eyes and smiled slightly. She yawned quietly and closed her eyes again, giving into the warmth around her. Gale sighed and shook his head. The flames were dying down and Gale had to poke at it from afar.

"Madge... I think I want to marry you." Gale whispered as he starred into the empty fireplace in front of him. Madge rolled onto her side and looked up at him, surprised.

"What?" She said and scrambled onto her knees. Gale shrugged and set the poker back in its case.

"I was just thinking." He said and looked down at his hands.

"You want to marry me?" Madge bit her lip, inching closer to him.

"Are you surprised?" He said and glanced over at her.

"Well... Yes." She admitted and giggled nervously. "It's a big decision. I mean we're only eighteen."

"I'm fairly certain that it's what I want." Gale said and pulled her over to his fleece.

"There's so many years between now and thinking about marriage. I have to be through college, and get a career and figure myself out." Madge struggled to find the right words.

"Are you saying you don't want to marry me?" He asked, not letting his emotions get away from him.

"No... I just mean... what if you find someone else and this whole marriage thing doesn't work out. I'll be alone and I won't have time to find someone else."

"That won't happen Madge, I said I was certain about my proposition."

"I'm just worried."

"I can tell... you have that wrinkle between your eyebrows." Gale reached down and smoothed it with his thumb. He kissed her nose and forehead.

"I'm sorry." She murmured. "I would love to spend my life with you." Gale chuckled and shook his head.

"I know." Madge smiled slightly. "Now what's wrong?" Gale sighed and pulled her closer to him.

"I'm going to get old." Gale laughed loudly and rolled his eyes.

"Get over it."

"I can't!" She whined and collapsed in a fit of giggles. He grinned and pulled her closer; his nose inhaled her familiar aroma.

"I'll love you when you're old too, Madge." He smiled and pushed her hair aside to kiss her neck.

"And when I'm sick?" She wondered.

"Of course, I'll take care of you." He pledged and kissed her behind her ear.

"Or when I'm fat and pregnant?" Gale laughed moving to take her hands.

"Yes, especially when you're pregnant."

"You forgot to say fat..." She smirked. Gale rolled his eyes and played with the hem of her shirt. "I love you." Madge said lazily as her head fell back to his chest.

"I love you too." He sighed and watched as she fell asleep again. "Even when you fall asleep on me..." he muttered.

Madge opened one eye and smirked, "hey, what's that supposed to mean?"


	28. News

Madge opened the dryer and checked its contents. The warm material was confirmation that the clothes were dry after their long bath in the washer. She looked through the endless pairs of shirts Gale owned and found what she was looking for, an orange onesie. Madge buried it again and took the laundry out into the living room.

"Gale?" She called out to the kitchen. Gale looked out and smiled.

"Yeah?" She held up the laundry basket and set it on the ottoman. "Do you want me to fold it?" He laughed and came over, capturing her lips and smoothing his hands over his hips.

"Can you?" She beamed and ran her hand up his back.

"Of course." He snickered; he brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. "As long as you make lunch- I'm starving." She giggled and raced to the kitchen. Gale slumped onto the couch and yawned, reaching for the clothes.

Madge peeked out into the living room and watched giddily as Gale poked through the clothes and folded them next to the basket. Her eyes widened as he reached the onesie. His reaction was dull. He folded it and put it with the rest of the clothes.

Madge sagged against the door frame. She turned back to the food and waited for Gale to return. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear when he finally returned. "MMM smells good." He beamed. "Madge- what's wrong?" She shrugged and tried to smile.

"Nothing." Gale kissed her cheek and Madge served the food onto plates. She excused herself quickly and ran into the bedroom. She slipped a binky into her sweater pocket and joined Gale at the table. He may have not gotten the onesie through his brain but he will get the next one. They finished eating and moved back to the living room. Madge hardly waited for Gale to sit down when she was straddling him.

He raised an eyebrow, "hello there." She giggled and kissed down his neck.

"Hello to you too." She whispered. He gripped her hips and looked down at his hands.

"What's in your pocket?" She held her breath as he pulled out the binky. He hardly looked at it as he set it on the side table. Madge hardly had time to reply as Gale picked her up and moved them to the bedroom. Madge's stomach erupted in butterflies as she thought about telling him their new parent situation.

"Gale-" She started but he was too busy kissing every inch of her and picking off her clothes. She stopped struggling with her words and gave into his charm. He laid her back on the bed. Madge was slow getting dressed into pajamas. Gale had gone to make dinner and Madge was changing into his loose fitting clothes.

"Madge- can you get my phone? I'm expecting an email from work." He called back to her. Madge looked over at his phone on the side table and picked it up. She had one more test before she blew up. She picked up her pregnancy test form the drawer. She held it against his new IPhone.

"Here" She said and handed it to him. He set the pregnancy test on the counter behind him and turned unlocking his screen to get at his email. Madge could feel her face heating up. Now she was sure he was doing it on purpose.

He looked up and smiled. "What is it Madge?" He joked. "Don't you have some news for me? Afraid to tell me yourself?" She stomped her foot and raised her hand. She let out an even breath and stood up straight, turning to leave the room.

"Tell you what, Gale? I don't have any news..." She glanced back and smiled alluringly.


	29. Bright Light

The car's brights were on. They helped light the dark winding road. The woods on either side of the car were thick and foggy.

Madge kept her foot on the gas and her eyes on the upcoming switchbacks. She wasn't going very fast and she wasn't in a hurry. She tried to keep her thoughts on the thought of deer appearing on the side of the road. The low hum of music didn't help as she tried to sing along with the lyrics. She turned the dial up, increasing the sound of a familiar song. Her hands drummed on the wheel and she bobbed her head slightly.

Her hands guided the wheel around a bend and the car lights glinted off the metal guard rail. She sped up and rolled down the window, letting some cool mountain air into the rusting truck. Her heart almost stopped when movement was picked up in the corner of her eye. The car jerked to a stop in surprise as Madge looked on at the tall human in front of her car. His hand was up shielding his eyes and he held out a hand in a small wave.

She turned down the lights and rolled the passenger side window down halfway. He ran over and gripped the window with two hands. Alarmed, Madge made sure the car was locked then blinked in the direction of the stranger. He ducked his head and peered into the car at her. "Hello, thank you for stopping. I hope I didn't frighten you." His voice was gruff but not unkind.

"No no, it's alright..." Madge stumbled out, "what seems to be the problem?"

"I just want to make sure I'm moving in the right direction." Madge raised an eyebrow.

"What is your destination?" She wondered. There was nothing on the mountain but a few houses.

"Madge Undersee's... do you know her?" Madge gripped the wheel tight and prepared to move her foot off the break.

"I do... May I ask what business you have with her in the middle of the night?" She squinted her eyes at the man, trying to see his features. He smiled. Her heart pounded. She knew the smile, she knew the voice, and she knew the grey eyes staring at her.

"I'm an old friend... and I have only just arrived" He murmured, "I think- I don't know if she'll remember me."

"Well you'll soon find out, Gale Hawthorne. I know where she lives." Now the man seemed surprised and jumped back when the car unlocked.

"How do you know me?" He asked as he shut the door behind him. He reached back for the belt.

"Hm... I recognized you from those silly campaign posters and videos from the war." She said, quickly covering her tracks. He nodded and she took off up the mountain.

"What are you doing out at this hour?" Gale asked as she clicked on her brights.

"With all the urban sprawl happening I took up a job in conservation and green technology. I've been out all day in a cubicle and out in the field. I work with the woods in most of the districts. I just live here... because it's... far from home."

"Where is home?"

"Not important." She said and glanced away from the road to look at Gale. She had to see if he had caught on to her identification.

"Well, I fully support your job choice. When I was younger I hunted in the woods outside my district and fell in love with my surroundings."

"I know." Madge said before she could stop herself. She slowed and pulled down her gravel driveway. "Here's her house." Madge said softly and looked up at her extensive ranch house. She drove into the car port and parked, turning her lights off.

"Thanks." Gale murmured and stared at her. Madge took her keys out of the ignition and opened the car door. She jumped down, her tan hiking boots hitting the brick with a thump. She brushed her wild blonde curls over her shoulder and walked around to the passenger side.

"Come on, old friend." She beamed as she threw open the door. Gale was ashen and his jaw slacked in surprise.

"Madge..." It was nearly a whisper as Gale closed the distance between them. They molded against each other with a long embrace. Gale's knuckles ran over her back and his fingers tangled in her hair. Finally, their shoulders relaxed and Madge turned her head to the side, her eyes opening and lingering on the dim light above the barn in the distance.

"Welcome home." She smiled and drew little circles on the skin in between his shirt and his pants.

"It's good to be home." He leaned back and kissed her forehead, tucking some hair behind her ear.

"Where have you been?" She murmured.

"After I broke my promise in 12, I couldn't come to terms with your death, I threw myself into the rebellion"

"I got out though." She smiled slightly; Gale closed his eyes and nodded.

"I hadn't known that at the time."

"We can put it all behind us now." She reassured him, reaching out to his cheek.

"Can we?" Gale asked, "it's a hard thing to put behind us. I swore I would protect you and I failed, what gives you the idea that I can now?"

"We're different people." She said, "we can start over." Gale searched her eyes for a moment before stepping back and extending his hand to her.

"Gale Hawthorne." He said with small smile. Madge threw back her head and laughed.

"Madge Undersee." They shook hands.

"I know we only just met but I am looking for a place to stay the night." Madge shook her head and took his arm, leading him up to the side door.

"You're always welcome here." They laughed as she unlocked the door and turned on the bright house lights around them.


	30. Sadie Hawkins Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sadie Hawkins Dance by Relient K inspiration

"The Sadie Hawkins Dance," Gale read aloud from the obnoxious poster in front of him, "there is nothing better!" He continued sarcastically and turned to his best friend Thom.

"Come on..." His friend hit him playfully on the shoulder, "the girls ask the guys- you don't have to do anything but show up if someone ask you."

"No one is going to ask me." Gale snorted as they continued down the hall to class.

"Katniss might."

"Oh yeah... like that will happen." Gale shook his head, "I don't even want to go."

"Well I'm just saying- don't be surprised when someone asks you. Just go with it. Loosen up. Become the Gale Hawthorne that everyone rumors about."

"I'm not that person." Gale said and laughed, "Why would anyone want to go to the slag heap and make out for hours anyway?"

"Yeah, you're classier than that... you just take them to the woods." Thom winked.

"Shut up and don't give anyone ideas." Gale warned with his pointer finger. The two parted at the sound of the bell. Gale slumped down into a metal seat and tapped his pencil on the table top. The open seat next to him was filled with a skinny dark haired girl.

"Hi." She said and smiled. Gale nodded and turned to look out the window. "So..." Gale tightened his grip on his pencil and closed his eyes. "Gale, is it?"

"Yeah." He said gruffly and looked over at her. The instructor walked in and Gale pretended to pay attention.

"Are you going to ask for my name?" She asked sweetly and moved closer to him. Gale looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Cornelia?" He murmured.

"You know my name..." She whispered. Gale resisted to roll his eyes and began to tap his pencil against the table again.

"Yeah- you live behind me." He said. Gale wanted to smack his forehead; he was digging his way into a hole.

"That's right!" She almost squealed, "So I was thinking that maybe you could go with me to the dance?" She said, hopeful and star struck.

"I already have a date." Gale closed his eyes as he realized his accidental response.

"Oh... I see." She murmured and looked at her friends across the room. Their shoulders dropped in defeat. "Well, at least I'll see you there!" She smiled and turned back to look at the instructor. Gale stumbled out of class and went in search of Thom. He was leaning against the wall with a short brown haired girl.

"No I'm sorry... I'm going with Bristel." Gale overheard Thom say, "Yeah... maybe next time." The girl wandered off and Gale took her place.

"Bristel asked you to the dance?" Gale asked, unsurprised.

"Yes and no" Thom laughed. "I think it was more force than a question."

"Explain." Gale pushed.

"She came up to me after class just before Demi. She took my arm and shoved me against this wall and said that Griffin was trying to get her to ask him so she told him she was going with me."

"Ah." Gale said and nodded, "will you two just get married already?" Thom pushed off the wall and shook his head.

"Hell's teeth, Gale! Not so loud. We're not even dating. We're just friends."

"The sexual tension between you two is off the charts. Just kiss and get it all over with."

"Whatever. Has anyone asked you yet?"

"Cornelia Cornel." Gale sighed.

"So you have a date." Thom said and clapped him on the shoulder. Gale laughed and ran his hand over his stubble.

"Not quite. See- I told her I already have a date." Thom whistled.

"You're an idiot."

"I know." Gale nodded, "maybe I can use the Bristel technique and get Catnip to come with me."

"The girls ask the guys," Thom reminded him.

"Hell's teeth."

"Okay here's the plan. You walk into your next classroom and the first girl you see... get her to ask you." Gale rolled his eyes.

"Cornelia by now has told everyone. I'm fucked." Gale said and shrugged.

"First town girl."

"You're whacked." Gale sneered.

"You know they want you too, Gale. Those girls always fall for the bad boys." Thom smirked and poked at his friend's chest.

"Fine." Gale murmured. "Challenge accepted." Thom walked Gale to him next class and pushed him inside. Gale looked straight ahead. A small blonde in the back of the room was twirling her hair around her finger. The light danced off the honey colored curls. Gale ran out of the classroom.

"Who was it?" Thom said, holding back a snicker.

"Madge Undersee." Gale choked.

"Nice... hell's teeth, real nice," Thom beamed.

"This isn't going to work." Thom patted him on the back and nodded.

"Good luck." Gale narrowed his eyes at his friend's back and walked back into the classroom. There was an open seat next to Madge but Gale left a seat open between them. He cleared his throat but she didn't look up from her pad of paper.

"Are you ready for this?" Gale asked, gesturing to the words, pop quiz, on the blackboard. Madge looked up and over at him. She seemed shocked, so shocked that she let her pencil roll off the table top.

"Uh..." She said and looked at the board.

"I think I'm ready." Gale pressed, "I've done some of the reading, mostly because it was interesting, and the quizzes normally aren't that hard." Madge blinked up at him. Gale gathered up his courage and moved over a seat. Madge quickly closed her drawing pad and stuffed into her leather backpack.

"Honestly," she said as she clicked the bag closed, "I haven't read the material, so I'm not feeling that ready." She looked back up at him.

"You'll get by with common sense." Gale smiled. She made a face.

"Why are you talking to me, Gale?" She sighed, "I swear you're not even in this class."

"I normally sit in the middle on the other side of the room." He said and gestured to the area.

"Next to Eliza?" She asked nodding in the direction of a group of townies.

"Err..." Gale looked around the room. In the end he realized he was in the classroom over from his. "I..." He looked at her in shock. "I went to the wrong room." She laughed and he stared at her bright smile.

"You better get to the right class before the bell rings." He nodded, "well- goes!" She grinned and practically pushed him out of his seat.

"Nice talking to you!" He said as he darted from his chair. Gale dropped into the first available seat and starred down at the wooden grooves in the table. He couldn't get that smile out of his head. He thought back to all the times he sold her strawberries and couldn't think of a time she had actually smiled.

"How did it go?" Thom asked at lunch.

"We talked." Gale murmured, looking down at his roll, "don't get excited- I was in the wrong room." Thom laughed loudly. He wiped the corner of his eye,

"Classic." Gale sighed. "Don't look so down... you didn't want to go with her anyway."

"Sure." Gale nodded.

"Wait." Thom gasped, "You actually want to go with her now, don't you."

"Shut up. You know me too well." Thom sighed and sagged back into his seat.

"Hell's teeth." He said and looked around the cafeteria.

"I know." Gale said.

"No, really." Thom groaned, "Wow I thought you hated her." Gale melted into his hands and stared down at his roll.

"Me too." Gale popped the roll into his mouth as the bell rang out around them. He couldn't sit through the next three classes; he couldn't get her off his mind. So when he saw her staring at the poster for the dance after school he couldn't stop himself from walking up behind her. "Are you going with anyone?" He asked. She jumped and pressed a hand to her chest, moving away from him.

"You scared me!" She cried and smiled.

"Sorry." He smiled back.

"Liar." She murmured and started to move away from the poster, "you know I can't get the face you made out of my head. The one where you realized you were in the wrong classroom." She looked over her shoulder at him. He rolled his eyes. "I'm seriously still laughing about it." She admitted.

"I'm sure it wasn't-" Madge cut him off,

"Oh it was, believe me."

"Fine..." he smiled, "the dance, are you going with someone? I saw you looking at the poster."

"You know," She said, falling into step with him, "every year someone forces me to go with them." She tapped her chin, "isn't for the girls to have freedom of gender roles?" She murmured. Gale started to sweat, was she onto him?

"Mhmm," he said quickly, "Shame that happened to you." She looked over and brushed some hair behind her ear, it fell back over her eye and Gale took the effort not to reach out and pull it back.

"No, it's alright." Madge said and clasped her hands together. "I just want to ask someone for a change."

"You could ask me," Gale said before he could stop himself. He drew in a breath, "I mean the answer might not be yes but at least you can say you asked someone, right?" Madge laughed and Gale relaxed, opening the front door for her.

"I could..." She sighed and looked up at him, "but then I would have to go with you if you said yes."

"Ouch." He grinned.

"Are you going with anyone?" She asked.

"Well, Cornelia asked me to go." He said and rubbed the back of his neck, "and I accidently told her I already had a date." Madge laughed, "Yeah, all the seam girls think I have a date so no one else has asked me."

"Tragic." Madge grinned, "Poor Gale Hawthorne has a make believe date to the dance."

"Hush." He smiled.

"You could get a town girl... oh my goodness..." Madge covered her mouth and her eyes opened wide, "that is why you started talking to me!" She cried, "I'm the only town girl you know!" Gale froze in front of a bench as Madge collapsed onto it.

"I'm sorry, really, I..." Madge stalled his apology with a loud laugh that spiraled into giggles. Gale stood over her, dumbfounded. She tried to stand up but grabbed her sides, still laughing. Gale cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry!" She cried out and finally pushed herself off the bench. "It's just so..."

"Embarrassing?" Gale finished.

"Sweet!" Madge grinned.

"Sweet?!" Gale choked.

"Gale Hawthorne, will you come to the Sadie Hawkins Dance with me?"

"Sweet?!"

"Get over it." She said and rested her hand on his arm; he stared down at her pink fingernails against the backdrop of his navy shirt. "Sorry..." she pulled her hand away, "so will you?" she asked again. Gale stared at the freckles covering her small heart shaped face for a few seconds. "I mean its okay if you..." Gale blocked out the words coming out of her mouth and watched her small lips move together.

"Can I kiss you after I say yes?" he murmured moving his eyes up to make eye contact. She blinked, her long black lashes bouncing off the pale skin.

"Gale?" She whispered.

"Yes." He said, "Sorry." He turned away from her, "see you Saturday." He grumbled.

"Hey Hawthorne!" She called; Gale stopped and looked over his shoulder. Madge propped her hands on her hips and cocked a hip out.

"You said yes- so where's that kiss?"

"I said after- I didn't say how much after!" Madge's jaw dropped and she blushed scarlet. "See you Saturday, Undersee."

"I hope I see you before then!" She called.

"I'll come to your class." He started walking backwards.

"Just as long as you get to the right one on time." She teased.

"No promises."


	31. Without Him

All she can do is pretend. After a glimpse she is convinced it's him but it's not. Everyone on campus becomes a blur and she believes that he's there somewhere. She has a fantasy. Her fantasy is that one day that blur will be him. His smiling face getting closer to her surprised expression.

She wants to stop playing pretend. She wants to stop thinking about him. She wants to shut down. During class she'll focus but on the way back to her dorm. On the way to dinner. On the way to piano. Her thoughts often float back to him.

She climbs the stairs to her dorm slowly, her knees screaming for a break. Her wallet buzzes against the magnet as the door to her residence hall clicks open. She crosses the lobby to her wing door and slides her wallet for access. Her knees call out as each step is completed.

Her roommate isn't back from class yet so Madge reaches out to unlock the door. She pushes on the doorknob and lets herself in. The snowfall before was dull but now is a tornado outside her window. She sighs and drops her things on her desk.

Madge looked out the window. It was snowing harder and she could hardly make out the street lights below. She sighed and sat back on her bed. She closed her eyes and rested her head against the wall.

His hands on her hips. His smell. His quirky smile that made her squirm. His laugh.

She opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling. She told herself they were bad dreams but in reality they weren't bad. They hurt. They tore her apart and wore her down like sandpaper on wood.

The soft breathing as he fell asleep next to her. The touch of his lips against her skin. When his arms wrapped around her. Not feeling so alone.

Everything felt so distant. It was strange. They had been through so much but it felt like years ago when it had only been a matter of months. Madge blinked up at the cracks in her ceiling. She told herself not to let the tears fall. She told herself he was happy. She told herself he was better off. She told herself that everything would be ok.

Madge closed her eyes and felt the fat warm tears flow over her cheeks. She bit her lip to stop it from trembling. She grasped her hands together in prayer. She looked outside and watched the snow fall. Tomorrow was another day. Tomorrow she would stop pretending.

His bright eyes. His warmth. His constant support. His trust. His body as it molded into hers.

She wiped her eyes and let out a shaky breath. Madge massaged her temples and shook her head slowly. Madge turned away from the window for a moment then tried to make out the glow of the street light. That was him. The soft glow, distant and blurred. Much like Gatsby, Madge found herself yearning for the light at the end of the dock. It beckoned to her.

She's read the book though. There is no happy ending for the lost lover. They're left alone in a pool of their own tears. Wondering and over thinking. She watched the snow fall. Her breathing slowed. Her shoulders relaxed. She had to stop pretending.

This pretend that's been made up in the back of her head has been a crutch. She's been with another but it wasn't the same. She could see the darkness behind her eyes that came from her hidden emotions. The second time is different.

Madge grows nauseous thinking about it. His rough hands, his larger body, the desperate touches. It was wrong. It all felt wrong. The words died on her lips... pretend. She could pretend it never happened but it did. Her heart drums painfully as she reached out to his sweater.

Tomorrow was another day. Tomorrow she would be able to see the light through the snow fall. Tomorrow the game of pretend would stop and Madge could be the same again.


	32. Story Telling

Madge finds herself smiling for no particular reason. She glanced back down at the soapy water and picked up the next plate. Her stomach bursts with butterflies as the little house fills with laughter from the other room. Madge looked over her shoulder and continued to beam at the sight of her husband and their children in the next room.

"You better not be having too much fun without me..." Madge called and turned back to the dishes.

"We're not, promise!" Her eldest, Ellie, yelled. Madge shook her head and finished up the last of the dishes.

"Dad!" Her son exclaimed with annoyance, "That's not how you do it." Madge rolled her eyes and dried her hands on a dish towel on her shoulder. She disposed of the fabric on the counter and wandered into their living room.

"What is going on here?" She asked the family. They were cuddled on the couch. Ellie was on one side of Gale while Gavin was on the other. The youngest, Jane was nestled on Gale's lap with an amused smile on her face.

"Dad is reading to us." Ellie said cutting off her younger brother.

"Except he's trying to make the character voices like you." Gavin said and crossed his arms.

"What's wrong with that?" Madge asked them.

Ellie giggled, "He's not very good." Gale shrugged.

"I thought I was doing a good job."

"I guess you thought wrong." Madge smiled and took the book out of her husband's hands.

"Will you read to us?" Gavin asked.

"Of course!" Madge beamed and sat next to Gavin, tucking him under the crook of her arm. She began slowly for everyone to hear. She glanced up once and awhile to make the expression of pure joy that only her husband would be able to decipher. Madge closed the book after she was able to witness more than one yawn from more than one little person.

"I think that is enough for tonight." Gale murmured as Madge slowly marked their place in the book.

"No..." Ellie whined but the rest of her disapproval was cut off by a yawn.

"We'll continue tomorrow." Madge promised and helped her son sit up. Gale held Jane close and took her off to her small back bedroom on the second floor while Madge led Gavin and Ellie to their bedrooms upstairs as well.

"I like when you read to us..." Gavin murmured and stretched. "I like hearing your voice." Madge smiled softly and followed the seven year old into his room.

"Good." She nodded and turned back his covers. "Now get to bed, it's late and you have school in the morning." Madge made her way across the hall and opened her daughter's door. She had just dropped her nightgown over her head and was reaching for her hairbrush. "Here let me."

"Okay but I can do it myself." Madge rolled her eyes and sat Ellie down on the bed.

"Yes, I know but you have time to do it yourself. I won't always be there to brush your hair." Ellie nodded sleepily and let her mother pull through the tangled dark hair. Madge turned off Ellie's light and wandered back into the hall. Gale was leaning against the wall, waiting for her.

"Hey beautiful." He murmured stepping out of the shadows and setting his hand on the small of her back. He led her into their bedroom and shut the door. They changed in silence, enjoying the quiet creaks of the house around them.

"I love you." Madge smiled when she crawled into bed.

"I love you too." Gale laughed quietly and reached out, taking her into an embrace. It was quiet for a few minutes as they listened to each other's breaths. "Read to me?" He murmured, "Just for a while?" Madge beamed and nodded, letting her husband slide a book into her hands. He adjusted himself to lie with his head in her lap as she launched into the story.

After time went on, Madge glanced down at Gale's slackened jaw and smiled softly. She ran a hand through his hair and prodded him awake. "Bedtime..." She whispered. A smile crept onto his face slowly as he moved back to pull her into his arms.

"Sounds wonderful." He grinned and kissed her on the nose and forehead. "Goodnight my Story Teller."

"Goodnight."


	33. Massage

Madge leaned back into Gale and sighed. "Do you want a massage?" He asked her, moving the blonde hair over one shoulder and exposing her pale back. She nodded sleepily as Gale moved her forward.

"The first time you really gave me a massage..." Madge started and stopped taking a minute to laugh through the scene playing through her head, "was also the day you got me to take my shirt off."

"Oh really?" Gale chuckled, "do remind me."

"We were in my basement," Madge said and glanced back her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Uh huh..." Gale nodded and reached up, taking her shoulders into his hands.

"We were watching a movie... I don't remember which but a movie... and we were sprawled out on the floor and I had just asked for a back massage." Gale smiled and kissed the back of his fiancés neck.

"Mmm go on." He continued to kiss down her back.

"You said yes of course and you started and it was nice." Madge giggled and nudged him, bringing his lips back to her shoulder. "Then you said..." she laughed loudly, "it would be easier if you weren't wearing this or something like that." Gale laughed too and brought her closer.

"How smooth," Gale whispered and Madge laughed,

"Yeah and it worked." Madge sighed and leaned forward back to her binder of wedding planning.

"Give up on that." Gale murmured.

"It's important..." Madge said and smiled slightly.

"You're tired." Gale acknowledged and pulled her back to him.

"Its fine," Madge giggled and flipped the page of the binder.

"Come to bed!" Gale whined.

"So bossy." Madge tisked.

"It's late and I don't want to go to bed alone." Gale murmured and kissed her shoulder.

"That's just one reason you want me to go to bed." Madge grinned and looked back at him. She closed the binder and stood, her fingers pulling back the strap of her silky tank.

"I'll give you a massage if you take off your shirt, it might be easier..." Gale smiled and pulled on her hips, slowly moving her towards the bedroom.

"Of course." Madge lifted the hem of her tank and pulled it over her head, dropping it onto the floor.

"And these." Gale murmured, pulling at the waistband of her small cotton shorts.

"It might be easier..." Madge smirked.


	34. Months

It had been three long months since the bombing in twelve and all of the runaways were still lingering in the woods. This included a large number of people from the seam and a small number from town. Gale had sensed something was coming and planned for those closest to him to get out of the district early. The only person who refused to leave was the mayor's daughter. They had gotten close through the games and were known to the district as dating or sneaking around. Yet, when the bombing actually occurred Gale returned to the district to see who else he could collect from the chaos.

One victim he had found was his Madge Undersee. She was standing alone in the middle of the square staring at her burning house crumbling from a bomb. Her face held little emotion but her body was trembling. Gale pulled her towards him and pointed to the collapsed fence beyond them. Madge only stared blankly at him until she uncurled her hand to show a district 13 token.

Over the months, Madge still has hardly said a word. She showed emotion but didn't share words except with Gale. For a while Gale felt like he was forced to take care of her but as time has gone on he is used to the sad mute girl following him around. She told him the reasons of the bombing and of the growing rebellion around him quietly at night but he no longer felt the emotional attachment that was there before the bombing.

She told him that she was sure someone would look for them. Yet, it had now been three long months and he was doubtful. They were all sitting around a dim fire and were sharing stories of the day when Madge leaned over and laid her head on his chest. Surprised, Gale's only reaction was to pull her closer and secure her in his arms.

Madge had been sleeping under his tarp but it wasn't anything physical like it was before the bombing. It was more for means of protection that Gale felt towards the small girl. There were older men in the camp and even though Gale was seen as the authority figure he wouldn't put it past any of them to mess with her. She followed him and locked her hand with his. Gale was still surprised; this sign of recognition was new to him as he led her to their tent after the fire. He wasn't sure about it.

That night Gale watched her shake a few feet away from him. He wondered what it would feel like for her to be wrapped up in his arms and for her long curly blonde hair to be tangled under his chin again. He reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder. She looked back, her face wet with tears.

"Come here." He whispered and opened his arms. She offered a small smile and moved over and tucked herself into him. Within minutes Gale was uncomfortable. It wasn't a bad feeling but he was suddenly aware of all of her. As his hands settled around her hips he could feel the swell of her breasts against him. He could feel the rocking of her hips as she drew herself further into him.

Gale swallowed and closed his eyes. He let out a shaky breath and looked up at the tarp hanging over them. Madge relaxed and her hands rested on his bare chest. He wondered if she could feel his heart pounding and his blood circulating to different parts of his body.

In the morning when he woke, Madge wasn't there. He sat up stunned and anxious. He tore out of his tent and wildly ran around the camp looking for her soft skin and light colored hair. A few of the men snickered and pointed off in the direction of the lake.

Gale ran down to the lake and found Madge bathing alone. She was dipping her hair back into the dark water and standing up. He found her clothes on a nearby stump and watched as she stood, her bare back glistening the sun. She turned suddenly towards the bank and exposed herself to him.

They made eye contact and Gale could feel his face heat up. Madge's mouth formed an O and she gasped, "Gale!" He froze. It was the first time he had heard his name on her lips since the night of the bombing and it was the first time he was able to see her body in three months, he had forgotten how beautiful she was.

"I- I'm sorry!" He muttered and ran back into the forest and back into camp. He plunged into the tent and held his breath. He couldn't get the image of her curves and flesh in front of him. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and pinched the bridge of his nose.

That night Gale couldn't help lingering around Madge. She was fully clothed but his hand stayed on the small of her back all night. As they were cleaning dishes, Gale brushed a piece of her hair behind her ear. She looked up at him and smiled brilliantly. The camp seemed to stand still as they looked at the girl's smile and return to the dishes.

Gale glanced back with amazement but tried to shake off the extra emotion as well. Madge leaned against him at the fire that night and spoke up about an idea for tomorrow's snare run. No one had realized how much she had been able to learn the past months and that she actually spoke.

Gale could start to feel the group becoming uncomfortable with another voice floating around the circle and so was Gale. One man approached her as Gale was getting out another blanket from his bag for the bottom layer of their tent. He watched as Madge cowered away from him. Gale bristled but Thom, his friend was able to get between the man and Madge.

He turned away from her that night believing that he would get carried away if she snuggled into him again. The song birds woke him up early and Gale stretched, popping his shoulder muscles loudly. He relaxed and yawned looking for another hour of sleep before starting the day. "Gale?" he heard her whisper. He turned and looked over his shoulder.

"What's wrong, Madge?" She sat up slightly.

"I'm scared." Gale sat up too and ran his thumb across her cheek.

"Of what?"

"I'm scared..." she sighed heavily and sunk back down into her pillow.

"You can tell me." Gale whispered and pulled her towards him. She buried her face in his chest and muttered some words, "speak up." He smiled and tilted her chin up.

"I don't want to lose you."

"Why would you lose me?" His eyebrows knit together furiously and his hold on her strengthened.

"I..." she choked back a sob, "I've been so distant." She cried, "And I'm afraid you don't love me anymore." Love. Gale used that excuse to lure her out of the district three and a half months ago. He hadn't really known if that's what they had but he was sure that it meant something.

"Madge, no, oh darling." He pressed kisses into her hair and pulled her further into him, "I still love you but I don't know how to help you."

"Gale..." she cried softly.

"Just tell me how to help you." She was shaking again and this time Gale ran his hand up and down the length of her body trying to sooth her. He tried to remember what this was like before the bombing and he wondered if Madge's body has changed since then.

"I can feel you hesitating." She whispered through her tears and he could tell she was holding her breath. Gale moved over her body slower trying to see what had changed. Her breasts were fuller and her hips were wider but how? It had only been a long three months... he swallowed hard.

"Why are you so worried about losing me, Madge?" his hand was trembling as it rested on her hip. She curled further into him. "Answer me." He didn't want to frighten her but she was frightening him.

"I'm pregnant." She whispered strongly but burst into tears, "and I'm so afraid and so alone." He didn't answer and Madge kept trying to explain herself, "I knew when I first got here... your mom... she knew... I didn't know what to do; I didn't want to tell you." She was shaking hard, "you were mad still so I didn't talk because if I talked I would tell you." She started crying again, "and I thought we would be rescued and I would have support and care there." She cried harder, "but we haven't been rescued."

"You weren't going to tell me at all?" He murmured. She buried her head in his chest.

"No," She wailed.

"What changed your mind?" He wondered.

"It's becoming noticeable." She giggled through her sniffling. Gale turned her onto her back and ran his hand across her stomach, sure enough there was a good bump forming across her abdomen. He looked up at her and saw her eyes wide and her pink cheeks.

"Did I just embarrass you?" He murmured in the early morning light.

"I just thought..." she looked away from him and sighed.

"What?" He asked and rested his hand on her rising and falling bump.

"I just thought you wouldn't want us." Us. This was getting harder for Gale to comprehend.

"I'll always want you Madge." He murmured and gathered her up in his arms. "Always. I've been so worried. You've cut all of us off competently. Now I know you've been housing all of this stress... I cannot begin to imagine what made you do that to yourself."

"I didn't know what to do." She cried again.

"You do not ever have to be alone again." He said seriously, "and never withhold anything from me."

"I'm having twins." Madge said and looked guiltily down at his hand.

"That was a good place to start." He murmured but withdrew his hand from her stomach and made a face at her.

"Don't look at me like I'm breakable." Madge sighed. Gale chuckled.

"I'm not used to you talking so much." He admitted.

"I'm not used to you showing so much emotion."

"Fair enough." Gale nodded. "Uh...Do... you want to get more sleep, are you tired, are you hungry, are you comfortable?" Madge groaned.

"Do not start playing the worried father, Hawthorne." She warned.

"Too late, now answer my questions."

"I knew I shouldn't have told you." She laughed and leaned forward, kissing him slowly on the lips. They broke apart and Gale smiled slightly before glaring at her.

"Don't change the subject or distract me. Answer. The. Questions." Madge laughed loudly as she rolled her eyes and turned over.

"Goodnight." She murmured and closed her eyes even though sunlight was now obviously poking its head into the tent. Gale smiled and pulled her closer, draping his arm over her stomach and rubbing circles softly.

"Night."


	35. Pledging Activity

It had been a long night of pledging. Madge knew she wanted to be in a sorority since she first stepped onto campus. It wasn't until now though that she was completely out of her comfort zone. They had to meet a frat. She wasn't the greatest when it came to guys, she was awkward and tense around them and that seemed to always turn them off.

She checked her hair, which was pulled back into a messy pony tail of blonde curls. They weren't allowed to wear make-up and she felt exposed without her mascara and eyeliner wings. She nervously brought out her chapstick out of her pocket and ran it over her lips.

The girls on either side of her didn't look nervous at all as she glanced over at them. Finally, she could hear them. The loud chant of thirteen boys over the howling wind around them, she froze anticipating them in front of her. She could do this.

Madge straightened her shoulders and put on a bright smile as the men fell into place in front of her fellow pledges. The boy across from her was much taller than she was, with floppy black hair and sharp grey eyes. He was the handsomest out of the group as Madge compared him to the others on either side of him. The pit in her stomach grew; she felt her palms start to sweat.

Dressed in all black for pledging, Madge suddenly wished she was dressed in something a little more revealing. She thought about taking off her many layers once inside the frat house and the relief that would bring.

The boy across from her looked slightly uncomfortable and Madge came to the embarrassing realization that she had been staring at him the entire time. She dropped her eyes down to her tall black boots and sucked in a long breath. This was going to be a long night.

The boys were instructed to turn and hold out their hand for her sorority and the girls were instructed to take it and then link arms. Madge looked at the girl next to her and whispered, "I think I'm going to throw up." The girl laughed quietly as they stepped forward and grasped the man's hand in front of them.

Madge couldn't make eye contact with the guy and let him sneak his arm around hers. The others around them were talking quietly and introducing themselves but Madge couldn't trust her voice to say her name. At this point, she wished that she had had a little more to drink before.

"I'm Gale Hawthrone" the boy said, tightening his arm. She looked up at him, craning her neck. She smiled slightly and she wondered if it looked forced or pained.

"Madge... Hawthorne..." she said but her voice shaking, he stared at her smiling. It took Madge a second to come to realize what she said, "Undersee- Madge Undersee!" She cried and held over her mouth.

"You don't need to be nervous, Madge." Gale murmured kindly. She nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat, turning back to look at the back of her friend's head. "We don't bite..." he continued. Madge smiled slightly and relaxed.

They took a step forward and then another, Gale chuckled quietly and then added, "The biting comes later." Madge made a noise in the back of her throat and bit her lip forcefully. What had she gotten herself into? The frat house wasn't that far away but Madge felt like it took an hour to walk to. When they walked up the drive, they were instructed to drop arms.

Madge took a little step away from Gale and stretched her back. The boys were yelled at to continue into the house while the girls were asked to wait outside for a couple of minutes. "Madge-" the girl behind her whispered.

"What?" Madge whispered back and looked over her shoulder at her,

"Relax, have a little fun, stop acting like you have a stick up your ass." Madge opened her mouth to answer but the girl in front of her interrupted,

"I bet you will make-out with at least one guy before the night is over." Madge was taken aback,

"No way!" She squealed. The pledge mom hollered for the line to be silent and they marched into the house and down the stairs to the basement. They kept in line and were handed their drinks by their bigs. Madge clutched her bottle with all her might and glanced around nervously.

They took off their layers and stood waiting quietly. Madge opened her bottle and slugged some of her vodka and lemonade down her throat. She took a deep breath and one of her sisters rubbed their hand over her back. The pledge mom's explained the safe word and at any time the girls were allowed to use it to get out of a situation.

The door in front of them opened and Madge could clearly see the guy pledges lined up on the wall in the other room. They marched in and stood across from them, most of the girls were smiling but Madge was too busy looking down at the paint splattered floor.

When she looked up, Madge was being stared down by a larger guy with blonde hair and stubble. He was at least twice as big as her and he was smiling and looking at her up and down. Madge looked away and made eye contact with Gale. He was smiling and when she met his eyes, he winked.

One of the brothers stepped forward and raised his hand to the light above. He clicked it off and the room became dark, all at once black light filled the room and music blasted all around her. Madge could only think of the safe word and her jumbled thoughts and terror in her head.

Her friend that was closest to her was already hanging off one of the dark haired guys as Madge pushed herself into a pack of her older sisters. She watched as the guy got down on one knee and held the hand of her friend.

"What is he doing?" Madge yelled to her closest sister,

"He's asking her to make-out with him. She can say no though, or you can say cheek kiss!" She girl giggled, "It's so much fun!" Madge watched in horror as the guy pulled her sorority sister forward and kissed her with everything he had.

Madge thought she was going to faint. Her sisters pulled her over to dance and Madge lost herself within a safe pack of her sisters. The guy pledges were wearing white t-shirts and stuck out in the cramped room and she kept making sure she knew where everyone was.

Girls on the outside of her circle were being asked to kiss and Madge was feeling less stressed about the whole thing with every drink she slurped down. She let a smile appear on her face and her sisters cooed with approval around her.

Her friend Katniss was on the outside and Madge watched as a skinny blonde got down on one knee in front of her. Madge held her breath wondering what Katniss was going to do. Her friend pointed at her cheek and the blonde laughed and shrugged to the guys watching. Madge let out a relieved sigh.

At least someone was denying the guys. Madge kept dancing and laughing with the group of girls until someone started tugging on her back belt loop. Her eyes grew wide as someone pulled her away from the group and out into the middle of the room.

It was the larger blonde guy and Madge was for certain he was going to get down on one knee. Her suspicions were right as all the girls behind her squealed and yelled out her name as he sunk down onto the floor and held onto her hand tightly.

Madge had no idea what the words he murmured to her were but she quickly put her finger to her cheek. A few of the girls booed behind her and the crowd dispersed. The guy still held onto her hand and pulled her closer to him. Her heart was beating fast and her breathing was shallow.

His wet lips took over her cheek and he laughed in her ear as he pulled away, "I expect a better kiss later." He smirked, "Unless you have a boyfriend."

"She doesn't!" Her friend called over her shoulder, "She's single and ready to mingle." Madge grew warm with embarrassment and shook her head quickly, running back into the throng of girls. "You should have gone for it!" Her friend said, laying her hand on her arm.

"Think of it as a game!" Another girl said, "The more guys, the more points." Madge rolled her eyes.

"I forfeit then!" She smiled and shrugged.

"Don't forfeit now..." someone teased behind her. She turned around quickly, coming face to face with Gale. He led her a little away from the group.

"Why not? Are you going to ask me to make-out with you?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"I know you're just going to deny me." He laughed, his voice dropped down to a whisper, "Ms. Hawthorne." She groaned and pushed him slightly. This time he threw his head back and laughed, "relax- it's a party, enjoy yourself."

"I'm trying!" He raised an eyebrow, "alright so I'm not."

"Come dance with me." He took her hand and pressed her against him. He smelled like pine and vanilla and Madge had to step back for a second. "So, you're not going to dance with me either?" She smiled,

"No I will, you just smell really good... I mean... err" Madge closed her eyes and tried to think of something that would cover up her embarrassment, Gale laughed though and pulled her back to him.

"Usually people step back when someone smells bad." Madge relaxed and shrugged,

"I guess I'm not usual people."

"MM, yes I had already realized that." Gale laughed and rested his cheek against the side of her head.

"Do you have to ask girls to kiss you or is this all up to whether or not you want to?" Madge asked.

"Most of it is whether or not we want to, but you know guys... so usually they want to. We have to participate in the make-out line though." Madge froze and Gale froze too.

"What's the make-out line...?" She asked. Gale looked down at her.

"Well- you line up against the wall and each guy goes to every girl and they can either make-out with them or they can kiss them on the cheek or you can deny them completely." Gale must have sensed her panic and rubbed his hands up and down her exposed arms. "It's not that bad, I promise. Do you want to get some air?"

Gale led Madge into the other room. It was less crowded and there was more cool air circling. The lights were on as well and Madge could now focus on Gale's features. He was very good looking. Madge let out a little breath as Gale's smile filled his face, "better?" he asked her.

"Much" she smiled and took a drink of her water-bottle.

"I agree that is a lot to take in." Gale said after a couple of seconds, "there are a lot of people." He noted. Madge spied her big from across the room and she waved. Madge waved back and just as Madge was about to look away her big gave her thumbs up and pointed at Gale.

"Oh my gosh," Madge giggled and looked away.

"What?" Gale asked and looked over but Madge's big had already looked away.

"Nothing..." Madge smiled.

"Feeling a little better?" Gale asked.

"Yeah, thanks." Gale led her back into the thriving room and disappeared. Madge started looking around for him but was quickly taken over by the crowd. Someone grabbed onto her hand and she turned to smile but it wasn't Gale. It was someone who was a little over Madge's height with short black hair and grey-brown eyes.

When he went down on one knee Madge was able to see Gale. They made eye contact but Gale was focused with a mean stare on the boy holding her hand. Confused Madge nodded to the boy and smiled. The guy laughed loudly and jerked her towards him, capturing his mouth with hers.

He wasn't the best kisser and when they were finished and Madge could take in the cheering around her, the boy went to be with his encouraging frat brothers. Gale stared down Madge with a surprised and amused face but turned and grabbed a hold of the guy she just kissed.

Before, Madge could watch the scene; she was pulled back by her sisters and was being embraced. "I'm so proud!" Her friend squealed.

"I'm so surprised you did it!" Her other friend cried. Madge laughed and shrugged.

"I surprised myself..." Madge murmured.

"So that guy-" Her friend giggled, "The tall one with dark hair, he likes you. Have you kissed him?" Madge shook her head.

"No, I haven't kissed him and he doesn't like me. I was paired with him when we first walked here."

"Well he was really mad at his friend when he kissed you so..."

"He's just jealous that I denied him earlier." Madge scoffed.

"He tried to kiss you?" The girls yelled over the music, Madge rolled her eyes.

"Not exactly, he didn't want to try because he knew I would deny him."

"Madge!" The girls groaned, "That's when you flirt and you say; how do you know?" Madge sighed and rolled her eyes,

"You know I'm not very good at this sort of thing."

"Well all I have to say is one way to fix it is deny everyone in the make-out line except for him." A few of the girls squealed around her and nodded encouragingly. Madge thought about it for a few minutes and then nodded.

"Fine."

"What's his name?" One of the girls slurred, opening her bottle for another long drink.

"Gale." Madge said hesitantly and looked around the room for him.

"We all have to spread around that we're only allowing cheek kisses for Gale." Another girl spoke up, "that way Madge's kiss will mean more." As that spread around the room, Madge mingled with her fellow sisters and spotted Gale from across the room. They made eye contact a couple of times but Madge was always the first person to look away.

Finally the room buzzed to silence as the boys' pledge master yelled at them to be quiet, "the Make-Out Line will commence in a minute. Men out in the other room, ladies line up against the wall." Madge could feel herself freezing again with embarrassment and she felt her back get a little nudge towards the wall.

She looked back in time to see Gale smiling slightly and disappear into the next room. The door closed behind him and her sisters smiled giddily around her in front of her. "Alright, remember we are not forcing you to do anything- you can step out now if you choose not to participate, you can let every guy kiss you on your cheek, or go for it." Madge could feel the heat on her cheeks and her palm sweating.

A few girls stepped out and a few shrugged and pointed to their cheeks. Then it was silent, the boys were getting a lecture in the other room but soon the door swung open. Madge jumped out of anticipation and the girl next to her let out a nervous giggle. Gale was at the end of the line and Madge had to roll her eyes.

Of course she would have to wait through the long line of pledges. She pointed to her cheek every time watched Gale get denied or cheeked every time. She wondered what he thought. When he was standing in front of her he was smiling.

She tried to smile too but her nerves were at their last point. She nodded dully and he laughed loudly, it turned some heads and he leaned forward slowly. He cupped her cheek and pushed a stray curl behind her ear. His lips were warm and soothing as she leaned into him.

Gale made a noise at the back of his throat and pulled away when the pledge master yelled next. Madge stood breathless staring out in front of her. She watched Gale go down the rest of the line in a daze and wondered what he thought of the kiss. The line dissipated but Madge stayed where she was.

She closed her eyes for a second. When she opened them, Gale was standing in front of her. Surprised, Madge took a nervous step away from him. "You planned it." He laughed, "You got all the girls to only allow cheek kiss." Madge shook her head.

"It was someone else's idea..." she murmured. He took her hand.

"I don't care whose idea it was." He laughed and leaned into her.

"Okay" she murmured again.

"What's wrong?" He laughed.

"Well, you don't really like me..." she smiled.

"Oh stop, you know that's a lie."

"You just met me!"

"That's true." He smiled.

"And don't give me that Love at First Sight nonsense."

"Fine, go on a date with me."

"What?" She said.

"A date... with me." He smiled.

"You're not going to remember this." She said and raised her eyebrows.

"I have only had two beers- look- if you're going to say no, say no."

"I'm not going to say no..."

"Then it's a yes."

"No- it's a when."

"Soon as possible." He smiled. Madge laughed.

"Tomorrow, my last class ends at 2:15 we can go to a late lunch."

"Deal, meet you out in front of Orkinson?"

"What?" She gasped.

"I've seen you around Hawthorne, don't give me that surprised face."

"Stalker!" She yelled and slapped his chest.

"You could say that" he teased.


	36. All Day

Gale kneeled in front of his son, Rowan, who was trying on new tennis shoes. The little boy kept talking about his class projects coming up. Gale struggled to put the little shoes on the constantly swinging feet of the five year old. He looked over at his two year old in the stroller who was blinking down at him with large blue eyes.

"Madge" he called out. His wife bustled towards him with another box of tennis shoes.

"Mmm?" She murmured and pressed her hands against her large protruding stomach.

"What do you think about these?" He asked. His wife looked ready to pop and she looked uncomfortable each day she grew closer to her due date. Gale wondered if they shouldn't gone shoe shopping but Madge insisted.

"Take a lap!" She smiled at her son and Rowan jumped up and took off around the racks of shoes.

"What do you think?" Gale asked him after he took his seat again.

"I like the light-up ones better." Rowan frowned, "or the ones that make noise when you jump high."

"Alright." Gale sighed and started to put away those that did not fit in the category. Madge started taking boxes from him and went bustling off in all directions. Gale frowned, "Maybe you should sit down." He murmured to his wife when she calmed.

"Why?" She asked and made a face.

"You're going to wear yourself out and you have the day to get through." He pointed out.

"I'm fine, Gale! Really, stop worrying so much." She smiled and started to walk off.

"Where are you going now?" Gale asked her.

"I'm going to go look for more shoes." She shrugged.

"He has nine boxes to choose from!" Gale said and gestured to the pile. His daughter pushed herself slightly out to look at them and Gale sighed. "Just come sit down and we'll help Rowan decide."

"You can help him, I'm going to start looking for Clara." She smiled and bounced off. Gale sighed heavily and rubbed his temple. This women was going to be the death of him. He wandered over to Rowan and kneeled in front of him.

"I want these." Rowan said pointing to a pair of bright green shoes with light up spaceships.

"Good." Gale smiled, "I liked those the best." He collected the other shoes and started placing them on the shelves. Madge came around with three boxes of little shoes and handed them to Gale. "Rowan picked some already, we can go." Madge chewed on her lip.

"These are super cute though." She pouted and then smiled brightly. "What is two more minutes of shopping?" She murmured. Gale resisted rolling his eyes.

"Darling, I'm afraid that you're exhausting yourself." Gale said and pulled her closer, "please take care of yourself. You look so uncomfortable."

"I'm pregnant, Gale, not a bomb." She took the shoes from him and waddled down to her daughter.

"Same thing." Gale whispered to himself. Gale and Rowan sat on the floor in front of the girls and chatted about kindergarten. Gale couldn't stop watching Madge, she had a look of concentration but every once and a while there would be a flash of something else. Pain. He was growing incredibly anxious to leave.  
"What do you think about these?" Madge asked after putting a little pair of sandals on her daughter's feet.

"Oh, I love those!" Gale exclaimed, "Let's buy them and go." Madge frowned and looked back at the shoes.

"I don't think she has anything to wear them with." She sighed, "And we have two more boxes to try." Gale clenched his fists but stayed as calm as possible.  
"Well, let's getting hurrying, we have more things to do today." He was lying but maybe he could pick up the pace of this shopping trip. Madge nodded and started to reach for another box from her seat. Gale scrambled to help her.

"Gale please stop." She groaned.

"I'm not doing anything!" He cried and grew tense.

"Just... stop helping! You're frustrating me." She switched the shoes on her daughter's feet and beamed. "These are it, oh Gale, aren't they so sweet?" He tried to stop his jaw from falling open at the quick change of emotion he just witnessed. He glanced at the denim shoes and smiled.

"Yeah they really are, can we go?" Madge nodded and started getting up. Gale winced as she struggled. He grabbed the two boxes and the stroller and headed to the front of the store. He paid and then pushed the stroller out to the large silver minivan.

Gale placed Clara in her car seat and buckled Rowan and Madge in. "I can't wait until I can do this for myself again." She said to him as he leaned back out of the passenger seat. Gale nodded and closed the door.

"It might be sooner than you think." He sighed to himself and folded the stroller up in the back. He slid into the driver's seat. "Home!" He smiled.

"I'm hungry." Madge pouted, "Can we go out for lunch?" Gale gripped the steering wheel tighter.

"How about we make grilled cheeses at home?" He asked.

"Sure." Madge smiled, she let her head fall back against the headrest.

"Tired?" He asked her as they backed out.

"Incredibly." She sighed. Gale smirked and shook his head. When they pulled into the drive, Gale parked and immediately got out. He helped Madge get out of the car and watched her go inside, he slid open the side car door and let Rowan jump out. He was wearing his new shoes and was jumping around, watching them light up on the porch. Gale laughed and lifted his daughter out of car seat, bringing her inside.

"Come on, Kid." Gale laughed, gesturing to Rowan. Inside, Gale watched in horror as his wife was running around the living room with a duster cloth, going at the all the surfaces in the room. "Madge, what are you doing?" he cried.

"The room was dusty..." She said and showed him the cloth, "I'm going to go check the other rooms next!"

"No, please sit down and rest. You don't have to do that right now." He set Clara into her highchair.

"It's no problem, I can do it now, how about you get lunch started?" Madge made her way slowly up the stairs much to Gale's dismay. Gale rushed to the phone and punched in numbers wildly. Rowan was back coloring at the kitchen table next to his sister.

"Ma?" He asked as the phone stopped dialing.

"Yes?" His mother asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's Madge..."

"Oh! Has she gone into labor?" His mother yelled, excited.

"No, I don't know... Ma, she won't stop moving! She was running all over the place in the shoe store and now she's on a mission to clean the house!" Gale rubbed his forehead, "how do I get her to sit down?" His mother was quiet for a moment.

"I'm on my way, see you in twenty minutes." Gale started to argue but his mother had already hung up the phone.

"Gale?" Madge's voice rang out from upstairs. He set down the phone and took the stairs two at a time.

"What is it?" He asked. She was sitting at the end of their bed, staring out of the big picture windows into their backyard. She looked back at him with tears in her eyes. "No, don't cry... why are you crying?" He rushed over to her and kneeled in front of her.

"I'm in labor." She cried and reached out to him. Gale laughed. "Don't laugh at me!" She cried louder.

"It's okay, Madge, just calm down." He smiled.

"Stop laughing at me."

"Have you been in labor all day?" He asked her. Madge quieted a little and looked away guiltily. "That's what I thought." He nodded and started rubbing up and down her arms. "My mother is on her way so as soon as she's here we can go to the hospital, okay?" Madge nodded and leaned into him. "Next time..." He started.

"Next time?" She squealed, Gale smiled slightly,

"IF there is a next time" he amended, "let's not wait all day for your labor to get worse." Madge sighed.

"But shoes..." She murmured. Gale chuckled and rolled his eyes. He kissed her forehead.

"I'm going to make lunch and you're going to get your things together. We're going to eat, my mother is going to get here, and we're going to leave." Madge opened her mouth, "no buts." Gale laughed and wandered back downstairs.


	37. Directions

Madge had to be sure. After grocery shopping she put the cold foods away and ran up to the bathroom. She dropped the bag on the ground and locked the door. She leaned against the counter and reached down to the bag, setting it in front of her. She took out the narrow boxes and lined them up. She opened one and dropped the box and the instructions into the waste basket. She didn't need directions these things were simple. Minus sign meant no, plus sign meant yes.

Soon she was shaking the test over the sink and letting it settle over the drain. She turned away from it, her head fogging up with worry and excitement. There came a knock on the door, "Madge?"

"What?" She called.

"Are you done grocery shopping?"

"Yeah," she smiled at the closed door, "can you go down and continue putting the food away?"

"Of course" her husband said but he didn't part from the door. "Are you okay?" He asked.

Madge raised an eyebrow, "yeah, fine, just going to the bathroom."

"Alright..." she waited for him to continue down the steps. She turned looking down at the sink. It was a bright blue minus sign. Madge froze. She had thought she was pregnant. "Are you..."

"Gale! Leave me alone!" She snapped. She froze hoping that he didn't get upset. She heard his feet on the stairs and she sagged against the counter. Maybe the test was wrong. The test is always wrong in the movies. Madge picked up another box and tried again. This time she watched it.

"Still alright in there?" Gale asked. Madge watched in horror as the blue line appeared again.

"Fine" She murmured, "I'm fine." She said louder but this time she was saying it to herself. Gale continued back down the hall, probably to his office so Madge turned on the water. She was going to take another test; she had two more to try.

She jumped when Gale knocked on the door but she was too far from the sink to turn it off. He was going to guess what she was doing. "Are you washing your face?"

"Yeah I wasn't feeling good so I thought some cold water would help." She lied. Gale tried the doorknob.

"Why did you lock the door?" He asked. Madge closed her eyes trying to restrain her annoyance with him. She ran over and turned off the water, dropping the test into the sink.

"I just wanted some privacy, darling." She sighed and clutched the counter, waiting for the test to turn red with results. It turned into a blue minus sign. She wanted to scream.

"Are you doing pregnancy tests?" He asked. Madge groaned and let the door fly open.

"Yes!" She cried and wandered down the hall, "but they're all negative so don't get your hopes up." She stomped down the hall to her room where she fell onto the bed. She had been so sure, maybe it was the new brand that she tried that was giving her false results.

"Madge?" Gale called.

"What?" She yelled into her pillow.

"Did you read the directions to this thing?" He asked.

"No! I know how they work, Gale." She hissed and curled herself into a ball. Gale wandered into their bedroom and handed her the sheet.

"Really?" He asked, "Because here it says that the test turns blue if you're pregnant and blank if you're not after two minutes and all the tests you tried are blue." Madge sat up and scanned the directions herself then turned to Gale.

"So..." she lost her breath.

"You're pregnant." Gale laughed and put his arms around her. Madge let out a little laugh and tears rolled down her face.

"I knew it!" She giggled and wrapped her arms around her husband's neck.

"If only you had read the directions..." Her husband sighed. Madge blushed and shrugged.

"It was better that we found out together." Madge beamed

"It was." He nodded and kissed her forehead. They sat quietly for a minute before Madge bounced up and put her hair into a ponytail.

"Let's go shopping!" She smiled and dragged him off the bed.

"For what...?" Gale asked as he was dragged from the room.

"Baby stuff of course!" Madge huffed.

"So soon?" Gale laughed, "We don't even know the gender!"

"Does that matter?" Madge cried.

"Uh... I don't know." Gale said and rubbed the back of his neck.

"You drive, I spend" She grinned and wandered down the stairs. Gale made a face but reluctantly followed her out to the car.

"Let's not go crazy..." he murmured.

"Please." Madge snorted.

Gale rolled his eyes, "What does that even mean?" He asked himself and slid into the car.


	38. Sketches

For her most recent birthday, Mr. Undersee had given his daughter a sketchbook. It had thick clean white pages and had a red leather binding and had a double black strap that held it together. It was large enough to take up her lap when she used it and Madge used it often and she took it everywhere.

She took it to class where she sketched her teacher. He was a funny looking man with a slight hunch. Madge sketched his scrunching nose, gaping mouth, flaring nostrils, his little circular glasses. She sketched his scowl when someone raised their hand with a question. She wanted to capture everything.

She took it to parties where she sketched the Capitol guests. It was as if they knew she was drawing them, their bodies posed naturally as if they were always getting their picture taken. She drew out their outrageous hair. She collected colored pencils to sketch out their outfits and caked on make-up. She enlarged their jewelry taking down every detail of the pieces. She wanted to capture everything.

She took it to practice piano. She sketched her slender fingers sliding over the white and black keys. She drew the shadows of her hands over the keys. She collected music sheets spreading them out and sketching the piano music. She sketched her bare feet pressing down on the pedals. She even drew her pencil marking down notes on her music. She wanted to capture everything.

She took it to the bakery to sketch Peeta's angry mother. She highlighted his mother's wrinkles. She drew out her burnt rough hands holding bread. She drew the pastries and the cakes that came out of the kitchen. She even captured a nasty scene of Peeta being hit upside the head and being dragged around by his ear. She wanted to capture it all.

The subject matter around her was great but when it came down to it Madge only liked drawing one person. Gale Hawthorne. Her hand twitched when he came into view. It got to the point where Madge had Gale's image so well known she could draw him without him being there. It started with his strong jaw, brooding grey eyes, messy dark hair, and crooked smile. She couldn't get enough. Then she turned to putting Gale into scenery. She wanted to see how his body reacted to the environment. She sketched him walking down the hall with his hands in his pockets first.

Madge convinced herself that it wasn't stalking. She just needed to see him. He had quit school so she had to find him elsewhere. Soon she had collected drawings of Gale coming out of the forest, the sun rising just beyond him. She had him walking through the Hob with his game bag on his back. Madge sketched his arm holding his helmet from the mines. She had him standing on his porch his younger siblings crowded around him. She even had a picture of Gale smiling over at Katniss. It just wasn't enough. She needed to get closer, to see the details.

She started answering the door when Katniss and Gale came around with Strawberries. Gale seemed surprised at first but Madge was trying to hold back the thrill in her face. As soon as they were gone Madge had her sketchbook open to a blank page. Slowly over the weeks she collected a well detailed full body image of Gale standing at her back door. She sat back when it was finished and her heart pounded painfully.

She realized it was too much. She had finally fallen for the boy from the Seam. Flipping the page she sketched out the strawberries in front of her and moved on. She sketched strawberries in chocolate; she made close details of the texture, of the color, of the shape. She thought that she had Gale off her mind.

That's when the reaping happened. Madge had to sketch the scene playing out in front of her, mentally. Her heart longed to have it in her sketchbook. She handed over her mockingjay pin to her friend. Madge kept the image in her head. In the hall she passed Gale and she tried hard not to take a deep breath of his scent. That night she pressed her pencil to the pages, aggressively drawing Prim's distraught face looking at Katniss from Gale's strong shoulder. She drew Peeta and Katniss shaking hands. Madge drew Katniss' hand taking the pin from her. She drew Gale glancing over at her as they walked by each other in the hallway. Her hands shook as she forced herself to flip to a blank page.

She couldn't help sketching while the games were on. It was distracting and a good way to spend the time instead of obsessing about Katniss and Peeta. She hardly sketched the games though. Instead she turned to the crowd and sketched their reactions and the heartbreak on their faces. She couldn't help focusing on Gale. He was her favorite subject. He looked isolated even though his family was around him. It was something about his expression or the way he held himself that Madge was worried about. She grew used to drawing his shoulders and his folded arms and that's when Madge flipped back to see her previous drawings.

That's when she realized that it was time to put the sketchbook down. Most of the notebook was filled with pictures of Gale. It was apparent that she was beginning to have a problem. Madge set the sketchbook down on her dresser and turned away from it. She forced herself to walk out of the room and down the stairs without returning to get it. Madge pulled on her dress unsure of what to do. She was forced to watch the games and try not to glance over at Gale.

Instead, she let out a huffy breath and gave up staring at the screen. She swiftly made a beeline and stood by him. "Hi," she said softly.

"Undersee." He said curtly, not taking his eyes off the screen. Madge cleared her throat.

"How are you?" He let out an annoyed sigh and looked down at her.

"Really?" He snapped. She turned away quickly, trying to stop herself from crying. "I'm sorry," he groaned and pulled her back. She refused to look at him. Her palms sweated and she bit her lip. "It was just a dumb question."

"I know." She muttered. When the screen turned off Madge didn't hesitate to part ways with Gale. She hurried through town and shut her backdoor behind her. Her hand flew up to her chest and she was off again the next day without her sketchbook. She stayed away from Gale today and made an effort to not look over at him. So when he came up behind her, she was shocked.

"How are you?" He asked jokingly and stood by her side. She stepped away, surprised, and then returned to his side.

"That's a stupid question." She joked back and raised an eyebrow.

"Thank you." He snickered. Madge wished she had her sketchbook to sketch the bridge of his nose when he laughed. She turned away swiftly.

"You're welcome." She said quietly and watched the screen intently.

"It's weird seeing you without you hunched over that notebook." Gale murmured when they turned the screen off. Madge looked up alarmed.

"What?" She demanded.

"You take that thing everywhere." He said and shrugged. Madge huffed and walked back to her house. He couldn't know about the sketchbook, it was like he knew that most of the pictures were of him. He couldn't know. Yet, one thing she was sure of, Gale Hawthorne had been watching her. It was enough momentum to continue their short conversations.

Over the next two weeks Madge and Gale had become comfortable with each other and even started seeing each other away from the screen. Gale was having a hard time coming to terms with Katniss and Peeta's on screen relationship and Madge was always there hitting his arm and telling him to get over it. She slowly forgot about her sketchbook and just enjoyed being with him.

One evening Madge had been invited to the Hawthorne house. It was brief but Madge had been overwhelmed with his outgoing family. She loved them as soon as she had stepped into their home. It wasn't a long stay though before she could really finish a conversation with any of the residents; Gale was pulling her away.

"Come with me," he whispered and escorted her out of his house. Madge ran after him down the dark streets.

"Where are we going?" She laughed and pulled on his arm. He glanced back at her,

"Wouldn't you like to know" he winked and ducked into the thicket. They collapsed in the darkening meadow. Madge could sense that Gale was hesitating to move closer to her and when they were touching it seemed to trigger something in both of them.

"I want to kiss you," they said hastily at the same time. They blinked at each other before laughing nervously.

"Well, can we..?" Gale asked slowly. Madge nodded. She could feel his body heat and the roughness of his hands on her skin. It was so much to take in that she almost forgot the sensation of his lips on hers.

"Oh..." she breathed out as he moved away. Laughing, Gale pulled her to him and he sunk his lips into her hair. "Hmm Madge," he groaned. The butterflies were taking off in her stomach and she could feel the color flooding to her face.

"What are we doing, Gale?" She wondered angrily. "You and I- what are we?" she sighed and ran her hand down the inside of his leg.

"We're us." Gale chuckled and kissed down her jaw.

"You know what I mean," Madge said and looked over her shoulder at him. Gale took a deep breath and pushed her hair back from her face.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." He pulled out a few blades of grass and tied them together.

"We're... in love." He smiled slightly.

"Cut it out." She groaned, "I'm just her replacement." Gale shook his head.

"You know that's not-"

"Really?" She laughed sadly, "I see the way you watch her on screen, when they were reunited, and I saw the hurt on your face- don't lie." She wanted to show him the look in her sketchbook, proof of his emotions he was hiding from her.

"Madge, you have it all wrong." She got up and smoothed her skirt out and pushed her hair back behind her ear.

"Goodnight, Gale." She wandered off through town and ended up back in her room. She flopped down on the bed. It was a few minutes before she reached over and retrieved her sketchbook. Even if her face was hot with embarrassment and her heart was slowly breaking, Madge slowly sketched out the look he gave when he said they were in love. "No..." she groaned and covered her face with her sketchbook.

Click... click... click...

Madge took the book off her face. The sound was repeatedly coming from the side window. She set the book aside and crossed the room, looking down at the window sill. Little rocks were pounding into the wood. She made a face and peered out into the darkness. It was Gale. She opened the window and leaned out.

"What are you doing?" She cried softly.

"Getting your attention!" He cried back.

"Well... go away!"

"No, look out I'm coming up" Madge laughed.

"How?" He gestured to the lattice work that was against the side of the house.

"You'll fall" she called down. He walked up to it and shook it.

"It seems sturdy." He glanced up at her briefly, "But...you could always let me in the back door." He disappeared behind the side of the house. Madge saw this as her cue to let him in; she hesitated before quietly creeping into the hall. The darkness gave her a clue that everyone was asleep.

The back porch was eerie and Madge wasn't sure if she saw Gale. Then he was there smiling through the haze. She unlocked the door and he slid in. He held up his shoes, "no tracks." She rolled her eyes,

"No noise." She took his hand and led him around the obstacles in the dark. At the top of the stairs, Madge made sure that Gale knew that the boards creaked through example. They moved around the dangerous floorboards and into her room.

Madge closed her blinds and turned on the light. "Can I take those?" She whispered and pointed to his shoes. He handed them over and gazed around the room. Madge laid out her towel and set Gale's shoes on it. "There!" She grinned and turned around.

Gale was holding her sketchbook. She opened her mouth as if to scream but nothing came out. He glanced up and took in her reaction. "What?" He asked and held up the sketchbook for her to see. It was a picture of her piano in the early morning light.

"Give me that." She snatched it out of his hand and pressed it against her chest. Her face was hot and if she glanced into her mirror she was sure that her face would be bright red.

"Sorry..." he murmured, "is it some sort of diary?" Madge was taken aback by the question, she had never thought of her sketchbook like that.

"...yes?" She whispered and glanced down at it herself, seeing it in new light.

"I just assumed, since you take it everywhere." Gale shook his head and then let out an airy laugh, "I told Katniss once that it was your only friend," Madge gasped, "but that's how I learned that you and Katniss were kind of close!" Gale said recovering his mistake.

"I had never heard anyone speak about my sketchbook... aside from my father and mother." Madge closed the book and tucked it under her arm.

"I'm just so curious." Gale announced, "I have been wondering what you were drawing, I've only seen you looking down- I swear." Madge suddenly wondered that if she hadn't been looking down all of those times, she would have made eye contact with him.

"You..." she couldn't bring herself to ask. The sketchbook suddenly felt very heavy in her hand, "I..." she searched her mind for the right words, "can you just sit down?" Gale raised an eyebrow and found an available seat on the edge of her bed. "I'm not sure what you want me to say." Gale opened his mouth but she cut him off by handing him the book. "Start at the beginning," she murmured and stepped back.

It was hard watching him go through her work but she was waiting until he got to page fifteen when he first shows up. The first picture she drew of him was the scowl he gave a townie in the halls of the school. Madge was disturbed at the look at first and it captivated her.

"Is that me?" He whispered and gave her an unbelieving look,

"You were in school then," Madge said and cleared her throat, "you gave that look to the oldest Leroy boy because he said something rude to you." Gale's eyebrows shot up with surprise.

"You remember that?" He said incredulously. Madge smiled slightly and nodded to the book,

"There's more than that." Gale hesitated but continued to flip through the pages. His expression stayed disbelieving but as more pictures of him unfolded, the less it vanished.

"I just don't believe it..." he said stalling of the picture of him walking away from the mines."How did you- when did you?" He looked up at her.

"I'm only a secret admirer, Gale." She whispered sadly, "you're not supposed to be with me." She came forward to turn the page. It was the quick sketch of Gale smiling over at Katniss by the hob. Gale hardly lingered on the sketch in front of him. He put the book aside and stood up completely consuming Madge in his looming shadow.

"I'm afraid you can no longer say secret," he murmured and brushed a curl back from her face. "It's clear what your feelings are towards me." He sighed, "But after all your sketches you still don't know." He moved away and picked up her book, turning it to her most recent picture. The picture of him saying "we're in love," he whispered.

"If you don't believe me, then believe this sketch." Madge's head was spinning. "The first drawing I saw when I opened this book was this." He grinned and closed the book. He pointed to the black band sticking from the bottom, "your bookmark showed me where you left off."

"I don't..." Madge searched his face for a hint of a lie but he looked so sincere. "I can't..." She shook her head.

"Just give me a chance to love you." Gale whispered and took her face in his hands. "Besides... if we're together just think of the opportunities you'll get for sketching me." The gleam in his eye was back and a gentle smirk had appeared at the corner of his lips. Madge laughed softly.

"Find me a pencil, Hawthorne."


	39. Resentment

Crowds. That's what was on the television in every district. They called it crowds. Gale sat back and called them mobs. Out of control mobs. It was live from the Capitol, protestors from every district and every background. The war had taken so much from the districts and they were not settled with only Snow overthrown. They were protesting arrests and executions of Capitol citizens, peacekeepers, government officials, and the children of the groups.

He had been following their peaceful effort to alert the new President with their wishes. Paylor explained her fears of their pleas and the consequences that would come from it. That's when they took the situation into their own hands. Now their violent, they move through the night and leave their victims broken in their path.

The news was calling them Resentment Attacks. Gale called it treason. His coworkers told him that he was paranoid because his wife was a child of a government official. Yet, he didn't let on that he agreed with them. Since this all started he barely let on to Madge that he was worried about her.

"Is it getting worse?" She asked him and rubbed his shoulders from behind the couch. He nodded and clicked off the TV.

"Don't worry about it; they'll get control of them soon. It's only a couple of guys after all." Madge let out a light laugh.

"Only a couple of guys." She sighed, "That's the understatement of the year." He got up and took her by the waist, throwing her over his shoulder.

"Come on," he laughed.

"Gale!" She squealed. Even though the bed was warm and Madge was snoring softly besides him, Gale couldn't sleep. His head hurt with the potential of something bad happening to their new family. He got out of bed and wandered down the hall to the front room.

He was draw to the view and glanced down from his apartment into the street. Below in the glow of street lights were people. He was shocked and found himself reaching for the telephone. He contacted the military base and made sure they knew about the migration immediately.

"Sweetheart?" Gale turned to see his wife illuminated in the dim moonlight.

"Sorry, I couldn't sleep." He murmured and tried to move her back down the hall towards bedroom.

"Who were you talking to?" She yawned.

"I wasn't talking to anyone." He laughed quietly. She stretched in the doorway of their room before glaring up at him.

"What's going on, Gale? Talk to me."

"It's really nothing..." He said and moved her further into their bedroom. She pushed past him and hurried to the window, glancing down at the street below. Within a double take of the view she had her hand to her mouth and a hand on her stomach.

"It's nothing?" She whispered unbelievingly. Gale tried to come up with an excuse,

"I've already notified the district about it."

"But you wanted to hide it from me?" She cried and ran up to him, placing her hands on his chest.

"I just want to keep you safe," Gale admitted.

"Keeping me safe by not telling me?" Madge sighed heavily and sunk into the nearest chair.

"I didn't want you to worry." Gale continued to explain.

"I'm more worried that you weren't going to tell me than about the next attack!" Madge held her head in anguish before standing and returning to the bedroom. Gale made sure to follow her at a distance.

"Madge, I am so sorry, it's obvious that I was not thinking clearly. Forgive me?" He whispered as she pulled her sheets up to her chin. She nodded quickly and turned away from him.

In the morning, Gale dressed quickly in his usual shirt and tie before getting his work materials from the kitchen table together. "Are you going to work?" Madge asked quietly. He glanced over at her. She had a bad case of bed head and the shirt she had stolen from him was exposing a long of leg.

"I was planning on it; I want to know what is going to happen." Madge ran a hand up and down her arm as if she were cold.

"Promise me that you'll be home as soon as possible." She murmured.

"Don't open the doors to anyone- no matter who they say they are." Gale approached her and gathered the small girl in his arms. "Don't worry..." he whispered into her hair and kissed her forehead.

"Stay safe." She called after him.

"You too." She heard him lock the door behind him but quickly made sure the door was locked herself. She turned back to the empty apartment with a heavy heart.

It wasn't until Gale entered the break room right at the end of the main lunch hour that he heard anything about the attacks that were destined to happen. He was in the lunch line with the other men in is division and they were talking amongst themselves. When Gale asked them what they were discussing they shut down and parted from him immediately.

"Why did you even come to work today?" Another man asked sliding his tray up to him.

"What do you mean?" Gale asked him. The man sighed.

"Haven't you noticed the absentness in the air, the empty work cubicles, and the distant phone calls?" The man could tell Gale wasn't catching on. "Corruption and treason are not the first thing men think of, Mr. Hawthorne. Think more along the lines of revenge. You best be getting home soon, I understand that your pretty little wife was the talk of the office today." The man left Gale at the counter. The young man stared down at his tray, he felt as though the entire break room had their eyes on him. How could he be so stupid? He left his tray behind and hustled down the halls to the main doors to the parking lot.

He burst through the door to the apartment. The door seemed to be broken at first glance but Gale didn't stop to examine it. "Madge?" He called out, "Madge?" His heart was broken before he even got to her. Her clothing was ripped and tossed around the front room. The chair had been turned over and the lamp had been broken. The bulb was shattered on the ground. "It's alright now, love." He called out, his voice shaking. Gale prepared himself as he crossed into the bedroom. Madge was limp on the bed her clothes ripped apart. She glanced over; her eyes hollow with fear and remorse.

"It's fine." She whispered her voice hoarse, "I didn't let them in." She whispered quietly and looked up at the ceiling. Gale was stunned to silence; he didn't know what he was supposed to do.

"I know it's not your fault, you're going to be okay." He knew what had happened but he couldn't bring himself to press her knowledge of the situation.

He came closer, "don't look at me." She whispered, "Go away." Gale hadn't expected to hear that. He backed away. "Call someone who can help like an ambulance or military." Military was not an option so Gale nodded slowly before punching in the numbers of the phone.

He watched as Madge was carried off by a series of nurses while Gale stood by helplessly. "She has a broken wrist and possibly a broken rib or two." Gale nodded, barely listening to the responder. "Is there anyone you need to call?" She asked him, "her family or your family?" He shook his head. "Alright... we'll be able to find who did this, Mr. Hawthorne." He shook her hand.

"When will I be able to see her?"

"We're going to have her meet with someone to talk about what happened and how she feels about it all and we'll notify you." Gale didn't understand.

"When will that be?"

"We're not sure yet, Sir." Gale was left alone in the apartment. He sat down and buried his head in his hands. He could call his mother but this wasn't something that he wanted to talk about. He reached out to the phone and waited as it started ringing.

"Hello?" Gale was quiet, "Hello, who is this?"

"Katniss?" He asked.

"Yes, who is this? Gale?"

"I need to talk, please don't hang up."

"Alright..."


	40. Wishes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gadge re-telling of Grimm's Fairy tale of Cinderella.

Madge couldn't help to drop down onto her hands and knees in front of her mother's grave. The ground was wet from the earlier rain storm and her dress was collecting mud in the seams. Her hair dripped down on the stone and her tears outlined her mother's name. "I'm trying so hard. I'm trying to keep my promise." She whispered her hand connecting to the cold stone. "I'm finding it difficult to be good and to not be vain or hopeless. Yet, father has changed so much since your passing. He is but a shell now and I am unable to connect with him. I'm afraid I feel there is no hope in the future." She stood up collecting her skirts in her hand and turned away, "I love you, Mother." Madge murmured back at the stone and hurried back to the carriage waiting for her return.

Her castle wasn't far away but by the time they returned it had begun raining again. Madge scurried into the castle and her heels tapped loudly against the polished floor. She looked up at the large candelabra above her as she rung out her hair. "I'll prepare you a bath, my lady." Madge looked over and offered a smile to her maid and followed her up the grand staircase. Her lilac dress was taken off piece by piece before Madge was able to slide into the porcelain tub. When she was awoken by her maids she was surprised to see her finest dress in front of her.

"What's the reason for the dress?" She asked as she climbed out of the bath.

"Your father has requested it. You are to have company tonight at dinner." Madge held back her excitement. Was it a suitor? A prince? She held her breath. She snuck out of her chambers and down to the dining room. It wasn't a prince at all. Instead she saw a young woman hanging off her father's arm at the head of the table. She was much younger than her mother would have been and her father looked out of place with her at his side. At the other side of the table were two striking beautiful girls. Their hair was as black as night and their eyes were the clearest grey Madge had ever seen.

"Madge, nice of you to finally join us... you're late." Madge was taken aback by her father's harsh tone and took a moment to reflect on his negativity.

"I was at mother's grave. I hardly think that was necessary to scold me." Madge said quickly and went to pull out her chair.

"How dare you talk to your father like that," The young woman called out to her. Madge offered a kind smile,

"Who are you?" Madge asked.

"Now Madge... this is your new mother." It had never been the same after that single sentence. Madge was immediately thrown out of the dining room and shown to the servants' quarters. There she was stripped of her gown and shoes and was given a dirty smock and broken slippers.

"Everything will be alright." She convinced herself and glanced over at the doubtful staff. "We have to keep positive and hopeful." She turned away and went to find her room.

"Where do you think you're going?" The two sisters asked at the first landing.

"To my room." Madge said cheerfully, "after all the excitement of the day I really do need a good night's sleep." The two sisters looked at each other and laughed.

"You don't have a room anymore, kitchen maid. Off with you." Madge couldn't help but laugh with them. The sisters stopped laughing and pointed fingers at the kitchen, "go." Madge's smile dropped from her face and she looked over her shoulder at her new home.

The following morning she was awoken in front of the hearth and put to work. From morning to night she worked for her step-mother. She cleaned, cooked, made the fires, and carried water from the well. The sisters were never far behind making fun of her and making her jobs harder. They joked and called her names.

"Cinderella, Cinderella... once a princess now a maid... clean those dishes... mend our braids." Madge couldn't stand the nickname but she couldn't let it show. She kept a calm face and posture and never backed down from the harshness of their voices. One night when tending the fire Madge overheard the sisters talking to their mother and stepfather.

"Why Cinderella?" Their mother asked.

"She's always so dusty and dirty. The disgusting girl can't keep herself clean. It's only fitting- don't you agree?" The women laughed and Madge excused herself from the house. Madge sprawled out in front of her mother's grave and cried. She glanced up at her mother's name and tried to put on a smile.

In the morning her father came down into the great room and joined his new wife's side. "I will be going to the King's festival today. Is there anything you girls need?" Madge ignored him and continued with her busy work by the fire. The oldest sister jumped up and squealed with glee,

"Beautiful dresses!" She cried out and spun in Madge's crimson ball gown. The dress itself couldn't be recognized as being the same dress Madge once had worn herself since the sisters had taken all her dresses and recreated them to their style and stature.

"Pearls and jewels," the other cried and the two girls waltzed around the room.

"And you... Cinderella?" The room grew still and Madge could hear them all turn expectantly. Madge bristled at the nickname but turned and smiled. She wiped her hands off on her smock.

"I would like you to break off the first branch that brushes against your hat and bring it to me... Father." The sisters erupted into giggles and went running from the room. As the day progressed Madge became more and more weary of her tasks. She collapsed at the foot of the hearth just as her father arrived. She heaved herself up and watched as he handed over large boxes of fine clothing for the girls and beautifully wrapped parcels of jewelry and perfumes. Madge blew a curl out of her face just as her father approached her with a large branch.

"It's a hazelnut bush." He murmured and turned away abruptly. Instead of sleeping, Madge ran out into the evening air and over the hills to her mother's grave. It was there that she cautiously planted the branch and watered it with her tears. "Please have this tree give me faith and the power to give me the hope I need." Madge was making trips to her mother's grave more than three times a day. The tree started to show life with small green leaves and vibrant movement in the wind. Soon she found herself telling the tree her prayers and wishes. It wasn't until a small white dove appeared above her, that she was heard and her wishes were granted.

"There will be a second festival. It will be held for three days." Her father proclaimed that night. "And the ladies of the house are all invited." The sisters rejoiced in front of their mother. "The Prince will be looking for a bride and he is asking for all the young women in the district to be in attendance." The girls squawked with pleasure and ran off, pulling Cinderella along with them.

"Comb our hair, brush our shoes, fasten our buckles, and spray perfume. We are going to the Prince's festival." Madge carried out their wishes but wept in the kitchen. She had nicknamed the prince when she was very young. Her mother had introduced the two before she had gotten sick.

"Prince Charming..." She murmured to her mother after they had swapped their hellos. Now Madge couldn't think of anything else but the festival but she knew her stepmother would say no.

"You, Cinderella?!" Her stepmother cried and pressed a hand to her chest. "Why would you want to go to the fair? Have you looked at yourself? You are a disaster." Madge however was not discouraged by the condescending tone. The women went over to the kitchen table and picked up a large bowl and tossed it into the ashes in the fireplace. "If you can pick out all of the lentils in the ash within two hours then we will talk again of the festival." She disappeared from sight.

Madge slid down the wall and picked out a few that were easy to spot. She wiped a hand across her forehead and started to cry. "I wish there was someone to help." Madge closed her eyes for a brief moment and when they opened she was surprised to see doves picking out the lentils in front of her. Madge didn't call them off but began to help them. Within an hour, Madge was able to take the full bowl to her stepmother.

She beamed and thought that she would be able to attend the festival. Her stepmother turned up her nose and turned away, "no I am afraid you still cannot go. You have nothing to wear and cannot dance." Madge was surprised and burst into tears. "However... I am a willing person. If you can pick out two bowls of lentils out of the ashes within an hour, we will talk about the festival again." Madge watched the lentils fly out of the bowl and she sank down on the stone floor.

She wiped under her eyes and started picking out the lentils but she did not wish for help. Instead birds flew in from the window and surrounded her, helping her pick out the contents from the ash. Her smile grew however when she realized they had all the lentils in the bowl and with time to spare. Madge hurried out of the kitchen, "may I attend the festival?" She grinned and watched as her stepmother peered into the bowl.

"No, you may not. We would be ashamed of you. Now, run back to your chores." Her stepmother walked out of the house and joined her stepsisters in the carriage. Madge turned back to the kitchen and ran out the back door. Soon she was wrapped under the tree she had planted.

"Throw gold and silver down on me." She whispered, "For I have never wanted it so much in my life." She closed her eyes and wept at the grave before sitting up. It was then she realized that her clothes had been replaced. Gone was the dirty smock, now she had a magnificent gold and silver ball gown that glittered in the rising moon light. She stepped out on the road and glanced down at her shoes. They were pink satin slippers- perfect for dancing the night away.

She arrived at the festival and entered the castle. She made her way to a mirror and was taken aback by her pure complexion. The dust and grime were gone and her bright freckles were striking under her bright blue eyes. Madge made her way down the elegant stairs and into the ballroom. All eyes were on her, including her stepmother and stepsisters. They had no recognition in their eyes.

"Excuse me," Madge turned suddenly with a bright smile, "may I have this... Madge?" The prince straightened up and glided her away from the dance floor. "It's been such a long time I didn't think I would recognize you." Madge held her breath but giggled nervously.

"You look exactly like the little boy I met all those years ago. Tell me, have you been waiting for me?" It was his turn to look flustered.

"I..." he stammered,

"Prince Charming is at a loss for words." She covered her mouth at the realization of the nickname. He laughed loudly which got the attention of the ballroom once more. He took her hand and led her out to the center of the room. "I'm so sorry, Gale."

"How did you come up with Prince Charming?" He smirked and twirled her around the room with ease.

"My mother and I came up with it as soon as we had met you." She admitted. A young man came and set his hand on the Prince's shoulder.

"May I cut in?" He bowed. Gale glanced at Madge and Madge glanced at Gale.

"She is my dancing partner for the night." Gale smiled, "I am truly sorry." The young man bristled and turned away. "How is your mother?" Gale asked her seriously.

"She..." Madge turned away and her hand tightened in his grasp. "She died two years ago and my father recently remarried." Gale pulled her tighter to him.

"I am sorry to hear that." He murmured. They twirled around the room until Madge got a good view of the clock.

"I really must be going." She sighed and leaned back, smiling.

"So soon?" Gale sighed and escorted her up the stairs.

"I'm afraid so." Madge smiled sadly.

"May I escort you?" Madge's smile faltered and she shook her head slowly.

"Not tonight." She exited the castle and made her way back home. It wasn't until she was almost home that she realized the Prince was following her at a distance. Breaking into a sprint she eluded him by jumping into the chicken coop. glancing back she could see that the Prince was having a hard time figuring out the door. Madge made her escape out the back and to her mother's grave. "These clothes are not mine." She said to the tree, "I need to return them." She returned to the house in her dirty smock and the grime covering her pale skin.

"I do believe there is someone hiding in your chicken coop!" The Prince called to her father. They opened the chicken coop and found it empty.

"Could it be Cinderella?" The Prince sighed and shook his head.

"No... Well goodnight Sir, sorry for the trouble." The following day, Madge waited for the women to leave and then made her way to the tree in front of her mother's grave.

"Shower me in crystals and fine fabric!" Madge cried to the tree. Her smock was replaced with a glittering sea green gown covered with tiny sparkling crystals. The bodice was the smoothest cloth she had ever felt. Gale snatched her up as soon as she made her appearance at the ball. They did not say much to each over but danced through the night. Another young man appeared at their side but Gale called out to him that she was his dancing partner for the night.

"Must you go so soon?" Gale asked her, his hand in hers.

"I must." She smiled and turned to go.

"May I escort you?"

"Not tonight." She said sadly and parted from the party. Madge made sure to watch for his following but did not realize he was there until she was coming upon the house. She quickly fled into the gardens and climbed the largest pear tree.

"You there!" Her father cried. Madge dropped down the other side of the tree.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Sir. I believe there is a girl in your tree." Her father glanced up and started to climb the tree himself.

"There is no one there." He admitted to the young Prince, "could it be Cinderella?" He asked the lad.

"No... Sorry for wasting your time. Good night." Madge ran off to her mother's grave and returned her clothes. She returned to the hearth covered in grime and dust just as her stepmother and sisters arrived home. The final night of the festival, Madge left the house as the others left the house and arrived at her mother's grave.

"Shower me in gold and rubies." She called up to the tree. The dress flowed out around her into a magnificent ball gown. The cream of the dress contrasted with the large red rubies on her bodice. Madge pulled back the layers of skirts to reveal solid gold slippers. She shocked the ballroom into silence once more and joined the Prince on the dance floor.

"Madge please tell me where you go at night." He whispered, "For I would visit you every day." She held back her smile imagining the prince by her side at the hearth.

"I'm afraid I cannot." She sighed and twirled away from him briefly. She returned to his side just as a young man came to ask for her hand.

"She is my dancing partner for the night." Gale beamed and pressed Madge closer to him. Just as the night was drawing to a close Madge pulled away from him.

"I must go." She told him and pressed her lips to his cheek.

"So soon?" He sighed. He did not ask to escort her. Madge parted from him and left the castle running. However she was stuck on the stairs. She realized with dismay that the Prince had set a trap. "Please stay!" he cried out to her. Madge left her shoe behind and disappeared into the night.

"Please take back your clothing." She said to the tree and returned to the house, dirty and in her smock. In the morning as she was making the beds there was a heavy knock on the door. She glanced out the window and realized that it was the prince with her golden shoe.

"I'm sorry to disturb you on this fine morning." Gale said to her father, "but I am looking for the person who might be able to fit in this shoe." Her father let in the boy.

"What will you do if you find the owner?" Her father asked.

"I will ask her to marry me on the spot." Madge came out on the stair landing just as her sisters were squealing behind her. Her father came up the stairs and delivered the shoe to the girls' mother.

"I have pretty feet!" The oldest sister cried and tried to fit the shoe on. Madge kept from view as she watched the girl struggle.

"Cut off your big toe!" Her mother whispered and handed over a small knife, when you are queen you will no longer have to go by foot." The girl obeyed and Madge watched in horror as her foot slid in perfectly into the shoe. The girl returned to the prince's side. He too had a look of horror but sighed and put on an easy smile. Madge was amazed as two doves flew through the window and perched on the hearth.

"There's blood on the shoe! The shoe is too tight, the bride is not right!" They cooed. Gale glanced down at the shoe again and was amazed to see that the voices were right. He sent the shoe back up the stairs to the other sister.

She was able to fit her toes in perfectly but to her mother's dismay the rest of her foot was not easily forced. "Cut off your heel. When you are queen you will no longer have to go on foot." The young girl agreed and joined the prince at his side. He sighed and started walking off with the girl but she was limping and there was blood on the back of the shoe.

"There's blood on the shoe! The show is too tight, the bride is not right!" The birds cried. Gale turned around abruptly and walked straight to her father.

"I demand to meet Cinderella." He said and forced the shoe into her father's hands. Madge stared straight at her stepmother who shook her head sadly and came down to meet the prince and her husband.

"Cinderella is nothing more than a household maid." Her stepmother said with a dismissive hand. Madge pounded the ground with her heel and wished with all her might that she had something other than her dirty smock on. Quickly she ran down the stairs and into the arms of Gale.

"I'm Cinderella!" She cried, "It's me- Madge."

"Beautiful, I knew it was you!" He beamed and settled her into a chair. "The shoe..." Gale murmured and raised a hand to her father. The gold shoe was transferred and Gale slid it onto her foot perfectly. Within a couple of seconds a second shoe appeared and the pair turned to sparkling glass.

Madge stood and showed off the glass slippers to her family around her. "No blood in the shoe! The shoes not too tight, this bride must be right!" The birds cried and flew around the young girl. Just as the birds flew out of the window she felt her clothes change out. She was now staring down at a beautiful blue gown with cascading jewels and ribbons. Gale was flustered but lifted her over his head with ease.

"Will you marry me?" He asked setting her down on the floor.

"I couldn't wish for anything more!" She gasped and let Gale collect her in his arms.

"Mrs. Charming." He whispered into her hair and rescued her from the house.


	41. Remembering

A young man wearing the protocol grey district 13 uniform scurried down the long dark hallway to his boss's office. He was holding his planner under one hand and pushing up his glasses with the other. He burst into the office and wandered back to where his boss was sitting. "We found her."

"That's great!" Gale's smiled up at the boy but his smile quickly dropped from his face, "found who?"

"Madge Undersee, Sir."

"I wasn't aware we were looking for her." He said and stood abruptly, "that's news. Where did you find her?"

"Capitol prison."

"Not so great news." He murmured and sat back down. "She's alive though?" He asked again.

"Yes, Sir." The young man stood awkwardly in front of him. The way he was staring at Gale expectantly made him uncomfortable.

"Uh, alright, thank you." Gale dismissed him and sat at his desk staring at his blank computer screen. He moved around his keyboard before turning to face the wall behind him. "Alive?" He whispered, "She's alive?"

One month later.

"She's here, Sir." Gale looked up from his paperwork.

"In the building?" He asked for clarification.

"Yes, Sir, in the building." His assistant smiled slightly.

"Where in the building?" Gale said and pushed away from his desk and headed towards the door.

"Hospital, Sir." Gale stopped and turned to the young man bustling besides him.

"Theo, we talked about this. You can call me Mr. Hawthorne or Gale even but stop with the Sir."

"But... Sir. It's protocol." Gale wanted to cover his face with his hands and scream.

"You're right, but please just forget protocol." Gale continued walking but realized that Theo was not following him. He glanced back at the boy who was staring down at the floor.

"I don't think I could do that, Sir." Gale took a calming breath.

"Why not?"

"My superior would kill me." Gale laughed now and shook his head.

"Theo, I'm your superior." The boy looked up with a surprise look on his face.

"You're right! You are my superior!" Gale patted the boy on the shoulder and turned once more to leave the office. "Oh but Sir?" Gale made a fist and turned slowly, "I mean Mr. Hawthorne."

"Yes?" Gale wondered.

"There's something you should know about Ms. Undersee." Gale nodded slowly, "uh, she, uh..." The young man ran a hand up and down his arm and pushed up his glasses. "She can't remember much about herself. Like she has memory failure or something."

"Hell's teeth, motherfucking, salad eaters." He cried, "I knew there would be a catch." He rubbed his forehead.

"Was the last thing you said... Salad eaters?" Theo asked him. Gale looked over at him.

"Yeah, I hate salad so I made it a swear word. Look- kid it doesn't matter." Theo shook his head.

"Your mother would be proud, Sir."

"Exactly the point I'm trying to make- how can you say something like to your boss but still call me Sir?" Theo smiled cheekily.

"Sorry, Mr. Hawthorne." They were quiet on the way to the hospital and Gale could feel himself tensing up. She wouldn't remember him, he said over and over in his head. When he saw her through the window of her room he couldn't help himself.

"I'm Gale Hawthorne. We were in love or at least I loved you. I've missed you so much. I thought you were dead." He spilled. She looked up at him with a shocked expression and unfolded her knees from her chest.

Gale walked forward towards her but Madge yelled out. "Wait! Wait I'm trying to get a good look at you."

"Why?" Gale asked.

"It's an exercise the doctors are having me do. They tell me who you are and I have to try and picture you. As I'm looking at you now I actually conjured up your appearance."

"So what does that mean?" He wondered.

"I can register you as familiar." Gale tried to hold back his silly grin but failed. Madge looked down at her hands, a light blush covering her face.

"Do you remember anything?" Gale wondered and sank into the chair next to her. Madge pulled her knees up to her chest, rested her face there and turned towards him.

"About you?" She asked, "No." She said quietly, "but I was able to tell the doctors that I was Madge Undersee from 12. My father was the mayor and that I had escaped the initial waves of bombing but got captured trying on the run."

"Then you were sent to a prison?" Gale continued.

"Yeah..." She sighed, "But I can recall all of that. You barge in here and tell me you love me." Her expression softened from anger to remorse, "I want to know more about that." Gale was stunned into silence for a moment trying to come up with a good place to start. He watched her thin hospital gown- the way it flew away every time she took a deep breath. The ties in back were loose and Gale could see her milky white skin and the dash of freckles there.

"Madge..." Her name felt good on his lips, "I don't know where to start." He watched her bite her lip and look down at her hands again.

"Have we kissed before?" She asked him. Gale was taken aback by the question. A flood of memories flew into his head and he wiped his clammy hands on his pants. He needed a cold shower.

He cleared his throat but his voice was still husky when he said, "yes."

She blushed again and a little smile tugged at her lips, "My body is certainly aware of that." She whispered and glanced over at him. He closed his eyes and tried to steady his beating heart.

"Mmm." He nodded.

"So...we've done more than kiss?" She asked him. The innocence in her voice made Gale stand abruptly. The chair crashed behind him but he didn't bother to pick it up. "That would be a yes." She murmured and smiled sweetly up at him. Gale felt like a charging bull staring down at the girl.

"Why are you doing this to me?" He asked her. "Why can't you ask like simple questions?" Her face fell and Gale could see the tears pooling in her eyes. "No." He whispered, "Please don't cry. I'm sorry." His hands grabbed at his hair.

"This isn't just hard for you, Gale." She sobbed, "I don't know who I am or who I was friends with. I don't know what I've done or who I've been with. I'm so scared!" She yelled. Doctors rushed in and calmed Madge but she was still staring at Gale.

"It's time to go." A doctor said touching Gale's arm. Madge was alert then,

"No!" She cried. Gale started walking with the doctor.

"It's alright, Miss Undersee. Someone else would like to talk to you." Madge's jaw fell open.

"Gale, wait!" He glanced over his shoulder. "Did you sell me strawberries?" The room stopped and Madge felt like everyone was moving in slow motion. Gale was by her side in a flash and he was grabbing her hand. His warm lips pressed against her skin there.

"I did." He murmured, "I did." Doctors were checking her vitals and bustling around the room. Soon it was just her and Gale again.

"I don't know how I came up with that." She whispered, "but I hope it happens again."

"Me too." Gale massaged her hand and shrugged. "That's how we met."

"And I introduced you two." Gale's head snapped towards the door to see Katniss stride in. He glanced back at Madge only to see her eyes grow to saucers.

"You're Katniss Everdeen." She whispered. Gale's face heated up with envy.

"You remember me?" Katniss asked her and joined her side.

"What do you mean?" Madge asked her, "I'm your biggest fan! I've watched all your coverage. Don't you know that you're a celebrity?" Madge stared up at her with joy but it seemed as though something dawned on her, "did you say you introduced me to Gale?"

Katniss was already holding her forehead and nodding, "yes, Madge, you and I were friends."

"I'm friends with the mockingjay." She murmured to Gale with growing excitement. Katniss sighed sadly. "I'm sorry." She said to Katniss. This time though Katniss seemed to be distracted. "I mean I really don't remember anything." Gale raised an eyebrow and followed her eyes down to his clasped hand.

"I can explain." He said quickly. Madge glanced over at him with a confused expression. "You were gone and she was there. One thing led to another."

"Wait wait wait- Katniss didn't know that we were together?" Gale wanted to laugh out loud when Madge said that. She made it seem so believable, like she remembered everything.

"No I was probably... away." Katniss sighed, "I'll come back later." She said to the two of them. "Bye." Neither Madge or Gale stopped her. It wasn't until much later that Madge spoke up again.

"You loved her?" She asked him. Gale looked up at her.

"Yeah, I did." Madge nodded.

"It was easy to figure out." Gale nodded and played with her slender fingers. "Uhm but did or do you love me more?" Gale chuckled.

"We've had so many fights about this." He murmured, "The answer is yes. I love you more." She grinned and looked away from him.

"Another question..." She said and pulled at her curls. Gale smiled,

"Go ahead." Madge smiled nervously. "What do you want to know?" He was becoming nervous himself.

"You don't have to..." She started.

"Madge." He came forward and sat next to her on the hospital bed, "are you asking me to kiss you?" She nodded quickly and buried her head in her knees. "I'll kiss you." She looked up and beamed.

"You will?" She breathed. He laughed.

"Of course." He leaned forward and brushed her bangs aside. He cupped her chin and pulled the back of her neck towards him. She let out a giggle and Gale laughed too. They pulled apart and looked away.

"Sorry," she sighed, "you made me nervous." Gale beamed and glanced back at her. This time he didn't wait for her to respond to him. He tried to take it slow but ended up just bringing her to him. Their lips molded together and Gale pressed against her, moving his hand up and down her back. He pulled back and Madge let out a happy sigh. "Remember the time that we were sitting next to the brook...?" She asked him. Gale stood, worry taking over his face.

"Madge."

She glanced up at him, "well? Do you... oh my god." She covered her mouth and stared at him. Gale couldn't stop the tears from forming in his eyes. "I remembered!" She whispered.

"Can you tell me more?" He asked and returned to her side.

She nodded giddily, "we were sitting on these large boulders overlooking a small brook and you were talking about how my hair was glowing in the sun." Gale laughed loudly and leaned forward kissing her again. "How did I remember that?" She whispered and leaned forward kissing him once more.

"I don't know but I hope you can remember more." He brushed her cheek with a finger.

"Mr. Hawthorne." Gale looked back at the door where the doctors were now huddled together. "We have to ask you to leave." He nodded and pulled away from Madge who was holding onto him with all her strength. He kissed her forehead and pried her hands off him. "Don't worry you can return in the morning." He glanced back at Madge and then left the room.

He loitered around the door and then took off down the hall at a brisk pace. "Sir!" Gale halted and turned to where his assistant was nearing him.

"Yeah, Theo?" He sighed.

"I was just wondering how it went with Madge Undersee," he blinked up at his boss with wonder.

"It's a work in progress." Gale smiled and reached out, ruffling his hand in the caramel brown hair.

"Hey! Cut it out!" Theo laughed and punched Gale's arm.

"That certainly wasn't protocol." The two laughed and continued walking down the hall.

"Did she remember you?" Theo asked.

"She is starting to."

"Amazing, I'm happy for you." Theo told Gale and patted his shoulder.

"Thank you... Sir."


	42. Seamworth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gadge re-telling of Pride and Prejudice. Roles are switched.

How was she supposed to get anything done around the house with all of the noise? Madge stood quickly and made her way out the backdoor. If her sisters were going to bang on the piano, they wouldn't get the satisfaction of her grumbling around the house. She took off through the back gate and listened for the smack of the lock clicking back into place. As soon as it snapped she was off running down the gravel road. Madge pulled up her sage colored skirts and pounded as fast as she could away from the property. She didn't stop running until she was much further up the road. That was where a deer path met the gravel and took off through the tall grass. This time, Madge didn't bother keeping up her skirts. She longed for the breeze to pull her along and for the mud to collect on her hem. She came across a babbling brook and slumped against a boulder there. Taking in her surroundings it was easy for her to relax. The air was humid but there was a cool breeze every so often. The hum of dragonfly wings compelled her and the birds sang to each other. Soon though there just wasn't enough shade to be comfortable.

Madge continued on down the path to find shade under a magnificent weeping willow. She leaned against the wide trunk and glanced out at the serene beauty of the water in front of her. On the other side of the clear surface she could make out the significance of Seamworth House. It's grandeur was less so from this distance and Madge preferred it that way. The place was an eyesore to the country side. The residents, she guessed, were never there. Madge always had assumed that they had bigger and better property elsewhere but one ever knew. Maybe they had lost the estate long ago to scandal and fraud. That or a deceased relative had surprised them all and left the estate to someone who was not the son, nephew, or cousin next in line to receive the inheritance. Madge had come up with it all. She sighed dreamily at the sight of puffy white clouds rolling in and parted with the sight. When she made it home, the piano had stopped being tortured but instead the shrill of her sisters parading around the house was replaced. Madge turned and set her head against the wall, slowly and gently bringing her head back and forth from it. "Oh for goodness sake, Margaret, stop that this instant!" Her mother cried from the top of the stairs.

"Why do I live here?" She murmured to herself and brought herself away from the wall and towards her mother. "Do they at least have a reason for this nonsense?" She asked almost crossing her fingers.

"They do, they really do." Her mother extended her hand and a letter flew down the stairs. Madge reached to pick it up just as her father strode into the room.

"Rosy, Victoria, Posy... do you really have to make such racket?" He asked them with sincere politeness.

"Oh, papa! You just wouldn't understand! We've been invited to a ball. An actual ball!" Rosy exclaimed and clutched her sisters' hands. They danced around the room together with glee. Madge rolled her eyes.

"I could just burst into song!" She cried out with sarcasm dripping from every word. Her father turned and smiled but was cut from view by her mother.

"Young lady, this is exciting news. You'll never know who you will meet at a ball. It's all very amusing. We could find you a rich husband by chance." Her mother fanned herself and carried on through the room to the dining room table, "besides anything could happen at Seamworth." Madge stopped her grunting complaints.

"It's taking place at Seamworth?" She asked, trying to come off as bored.

"It is indeed, this means new dresses, new hairpins, and new ribbons!" Her mother cried thrusting a finger into the air and scurried off again.

"Sounds expensive," her father mumbled and followed after his wife. Madge slumped against the kitchen wall and smiled to herself. "Oh, not you too, Madge." Her father sighed and pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose.

"Ma has a point..." Madge murmured and pushed off the wall towards her father, "anything could happen." She kissed her father's cheek and climbed the stairs to bed. Madge looked down at the letter in her hands finally and unfolded it. She saw it was addressed to her father from Mr. Burke Thomas, the owner of Seamworth. He was inviting them to a ball at his estate that was being hosted by himself, his sister, Bristel Thomas, and Mr. Gale Hawthorne of Panemberly. She gazed down at the loopy carefree writing and dropped the letter onto her dresser. She had been at Panemberly just months before with her Aunt Maysille and Uncle Haymitch. They had a simple tour of the grounds and house. Even with the small tour, Madge made a fair judgment of the place. It was extraordinary. Now she had the chance to meet the owner of it. She pressed a hand to her chest to stop her imagination from running wild. "Anything could happen." She repeated to herself.

The night of the ball came around took quickly for the family. They were rushing around the house and in each other's way for most of the day. The twins, Rosy and Posy, were dashing off with ribbons clutched in their fists around the grounds and Victoria was yelling out to them from an upstairs window. Madge however was sitting on her bed with her hands over her ears. "Vick, do you have to scream?" She asked her sister. Victoria turned around to give her sister an incredulous look.

"How can I not?" She asked, "Do you see them?" Madge rolled off the bed and onto her feet. She glanced out the window briefly before returning to her bed.

"I can give you many reasons." Madge alerted her sister. Victoria huffed and stood in the window a bit longer before heading over to the cupboard,

"Pink or cream?" Victoria asked. Madge squinted at both as her sister twirled with them in either hand.

"Cream..." Madge murmured, "Better for the event- I have a pink ribbon you can use though." Madge tied the ribbon around her waist after the dress dropped over her sister's head. They turned their heads to the side as they glanced into the mirror.

"Mmmm... pink dress." They said at the same time. Victoria laughed as she changed dresses and Madge wrapped around a cream and white ribbon around her waist. Madge stole the cream gown and dropped it over her own head and let her sister do up the buttons on the back. "Ah yes, this looks much better on you." Victoria told her as she grabbed out a lilac ribbon and tied it for her sister. Madge sat back in a chair and flinched as her long blonde curls were drawn up and pinned repeatedly into a bun. "Do you think we'll get to meet Mr. Thomas and Mr. Hawthorne?" Victoria asked, pins steady in her mouth.

"I don't know..." Madge murmured. That evening their carriage rolled up in front of the regal house. Their father got out first, his cane poking into the gravel. He turned and raised a hand for his wife to use. His daughters got out youngest to oldest with Madge crawling out last. The house took her breath away. When they finally made it up the grand front stairs they were surprised to be greeted by the hosts themselves.

"Pinch me for I must be dreaming!" Posy squealed and reached out for her twin.

"Mr. Charles Undersee," their father introduced, "this is my wife and daughters- Margaret, Victoria, Rosy, and Posy." Gale Hawthorne looked indifferent to the family but Burke Thomas however looked quite happy to meet them, his smile grew when they were properly introduced,

"So glad to have the pleasure, you may call me Thom" he informed them. Thom had light brown eyes that matched his hair and a charming smile. His demeanor reflected in his bright cheeks too, "this is my sister, Bristel..." The ladies bowed and glanced up. Bristel Thomas was a tall girl. She stood straight and had a smirk resting on her flawless face. Her dark hair was pinned back with crystal pins sparkling everywhere. Her dress was covered in light green fabric and cream lace cascading to the floor with a slight train. Her gold ribbon wrapped around her was stunning. Madge suddenly wanted to be her. "And this is my good friend, Mr. Hawthorne." He nodded to them. Madge however had the pleasure of making eye contact. Gale Hawthorne's face was something out of a painting, his sharp jaw line, smooth lips, hard cheek bones, and his brooding light grey eyes and wild dark hair was a description out of a romance novel. Madge tried not to swoon under his gaze. The family retreated to the ballroom where Victoria and Madge escaped their parents to a dark corner of the room. They laughed to themselves and slumped against the wall.

"He's so dreamy!" Victoria gushed.

"I agree," Madge sighed, "those eyes..."

"They're nice but... that smile!" Madge glanced over at her sister. Victoria was not much smaller than Madge was but her blonde hair was darker than hers. She had bright happy blue eyes and pale skin like hers but not all the freckles that dominated Madge's face. Her sister won the beauty card because of it.

"You're talking about Thom?" Madge inquired.

"Of course," Victoria said as if it were obvious, "why? Are you talking about Hawthorne?"

"I was," the girls laughed and paced towards the dance floor. They danced, glancing back at each other with wide smiles and cheerful hellos throughout the song and when it ended they clapped for the musicians.

"Excuse me..." Madge turned to Victoria just as she glanced back to her caller, standing in front of her sister was Thom looking very hopeful. He cleared his throat and bowed slightly, holding out his hand, "may I have the next dance?" Victoria looked back at her sister with wide eyes and took the gentleman's hand. Madge watched them take the dance floor. She stayed back with a dying smile and watched them curiously.

"Are you having a nice evening?" Someone asked besides her. Madge glanced up and was shocked into silence. She was standing next to Mr. Hawthorne.

"Why, yes." She murmured and turned her eyes back on her sister.

"Very good," he murmured back.

"Are you?" She asked.

"Quite." He said and squared his shoulders. "Have we met before by chance?" He asked her suddenly. Madge made a face,

"I don't recall meeting you, Mr. Hawthorne." She told him honestly.

"You're familiar to me, Miss Undersee," Mr. Hawthorne said, "have you been in town often?" Madge swallowed hard,

"Call me Madge, and not often, no." She responded. Madge tried to pinpoint where he could have seen her. "I usually walk to Seamworth though..." She started to say.

"Walk?" Mr. Hawthorne said with dismay, "isn't that far?" Madge sighed.

"Not terribly." She shook her head, "you might have seen me by there."

"I haven't been with my friend long, I would have to say probably not." He told her. "I spend most of the time at my house." Madge closed her eyes momentarily.

"Panemberly?" She asked innocently.

"Yes, indeed." He said surprised and turned towards her.

"I was there a few months ago..." She informed him, "I was there with the Abernathy's. They are my aunt and uncle."

"I must have seen you," he told her. The song ended but Thom stayed with her sister on the dance floor.

"Do you dance, Mr. Hawthorne?" He shook his head.

"Not usually."

"No, he won't even dance with me..." Madge watched as Bristel ran a hand along his arm, "will you, Gale?" Madge stepped back to allow Bristel to walk around his person entirely. Madge dismissed herself and wandered back to a room that was unoccupied.

In the next few weeks, Victoria made many trips to Seamworth house for Thom. They were inseparable. Victoria mentioned to Madge, "his sister was insufferable and Mr. Hawthorne had left for Panemberly as soon as he had a chance."

"Well, mother is informing everyone that there will be an engagement by the end of the month." Madge told her, Victoria laughed and covered her pink cheeks. "I'm so happy for you."

Victoria sighed, "I thought Hawthorne liked you." Madge laughed and shook her head.

"No... Not even the slightest of chances." When her sister returned from Seamworth the next week she immediately ran up to Madge.

"Thom and I are going to Panemberly and you were invited." Madge gaped.

"What?"

"You're going," her sister grinned, "we're going!" Madge made sure to pack her finest dresses and arrived in a white dress with a dark brown ribbon and hat. Panemberly was as she remembered it, intimidating and beautiful. This time it was different though, she wasn't just a visitor but a guest. Thom is the one to meet them at the top of the step. He took Victoria by the arm and led the sisters into the main dining room. Hawthorne was not at the head of the table though.

"Sorry but Mr. Hawthorne will not be dining with us tonight." Madge tried to hide her disappointment.

"We're in good company." She told Thom, who smiled over at her sister. They hadn't seen Hawthorne until the third day they were there when he arrived by coach. Madge was in her given bedroom and had seen him from the window. That was the night that Burke Thomas declared that him and Victoria were engaged. He had talked to their father back after the dance was over at Seamworth and had waited all this time to ask her. Hawthorne clapped and smiled at the head of the table and Madge beamed for her glowing happy sister. That night Madge ran out of the house and into the gardens. She collapsed at the edge of a grand fountain illuminated by candlelight in the dark. "You're such a fool," she told herself quietly and let her tears fall.

"Madge?" She stood quickly and started to wipe her face.

"Mr. Hawthorne." She said and turned from him, continuing to clear her eyes.

"Whatever is the matter? Why are you out here so late?" She laughed and shook her head.

"I'm sorry to disturb you," she told him and started back to the house. Soon he was in front of her, grabbing on her arms.

"Are you crying?" He asked her and moved her back towards the fountain.

"No," she lied, "I had something in my eye."

"You're upset that your younger sister is getting married before you." Madge looked away from him, ashamed.

"I am not, I am very happy for her." He raised an eyebrow. "I am happy for her, it's just that... yes, I am bothered that she is getting married before me." Gale grunted approval and turned away. "What, you're not married." She told him, "Are you not upset that Thomas is getting married before you?"

"Thom and I are not brothers." He told her. Madge played with the fabric of her light blue dress. "But I am, surprisingly. I always assumed that I would be married to his sister before he ever found someone as carefree as him."

"You're engaged to Miss Thomas?" She asked him and nodded down at her skirts.

"No, she's insufferable." He told her. Madge couldn't help but laugh. "I could never love her." She glanced up at him and made eye contact. She swallowed and looked back down at her hands. This time though his fingers pressed into her chin and brought up her gaze. "I'm in love with someone else." Madge made a noise in the back of her throat. "I'm in love with you, Miss Undersee."

"Oh dear," she whispered.

"I have been in love with you since you first stepped into my house. You had on a yellow dress. It was such a pretty dress... and your hair was partly down." Madge's mouth fell open.

"You actually remember?" She asked him. He took a hold of one of her loose curls.

"You wandered away from the group and took the main stairs up to look at a painting," he continued, "and though you didn't see me I was just down the hall." Madge covered her face and laughed. "You had this funny smile on your face when your aunt called on you and I just knew." He was smiling now and Madge couldn't hold back her happy tears. "Do you think you could learn to love me in return?" He asked, "Here?" They looked up at the house with awe.

"I could." She whispered, "I would love to." It wasn't before long that Gale Hawthorne was standing in her father's study talking with him. Madge was out in back, pacing, with a bright smile on her face. Her mother and sisters were pressed against the door listening in on the conversation.

"Marriage?" Her mother's voice rang out and she ran through the house, "both of my oldest married!" She cried, "I can die happy!" Gale came out holding his hat in one hand and shaking her father's hand in the other. He came out and joined Madge's side.

"I'm trusting, that you gained my father's permission," She smiled. He nodded,

"That I did." She took his arm and they wandered over to the gate. It clicked into place behind them. "Where are we going?" He asked her.

"I was going to walk to Seamworth." She informed him.

"Walk?" Gale said with dismay, "isn't that far?" Madge smiled,

"Not terribly." They laughed and Madge broke away from him to run, her hat flying off her head and into her fiancée's hands.

"Wait up!" He called,

"Not a chance!"


	43. Model Material

"Gale, have you seen my purple heels?" His girlfriend called from his bedroom.

"Uh..." Gale said, trying to come up with an answer. "Did you look under the bed?" He called. She stalked into the living room with a smile.

"Of course I looked under the bed." She laughed and shook her head. She dropped down on the ground and looked under the couch, reaching out she grabbed her heels. She stood up and pulled down her little black dress. Gale looked up at her from the newspaper.

"Oh, good, you found them." She laughed again and ran off to the bathroom.

"No thanks to your help." She told him as she stared at her reflection in the mirror.

"Sorry," he murmured. "Have a good day at work, I'll see you tonight."

"Thanks," she said, coming out of the bathroom and grabbing her purse, "you too."

"Thanks," he said and smiled. She checked the fridge and pulled out a yogurt for the road.

"I'll stop by the grocery store after work for a few things," Gale stood and kissed her cheek.

"That would be amazing, thank you," she beamed and dashed out the door. He sat through work with a dull chance he was going to make it out before dinner. He reached out for the phone and dialed the familiar number. "Hey babe,"

"Hey Gale, is something wrong?"

"I won't make it home before dinner tonight- so sorry." His girlfriend laughed.

"It's just like any other night," she told him, "no problem. If you don't mind I'll just be at your apartment until you come home."

"It's just like any other night, Becca." He laughed.

"Bye," she giggled into the phone. Gale hung up and sat back in the chair, already exhausted. That evening he rolled up to his apartment and climbed the stairs with a large pizza box. He unlocked his door and walked in. "Hey..." his girlfriend said looking up from a magazine.

"Brought food," he smiled.

"I see that, and smell that... mmm..."

"How was your day?" He asked.

"Fine- oh- I did get those groceries." She said pointing the fridge.

"Thanks, helps me out." he told her honestly. He made them a plate and brought it over to the couch. "What are you reading?" He asked and flopped down next to her.

"Oh, Capitol, it's a fashion magazine." She flipped the magazine closed and dropped it on the coffee table. Gale glanced over at the cover. On the front in bright flashy purple letters said Capitol but what got his attention was the blonde under them. She was looking down, her wild blonde curls taking up most of the page. Her eyes were smiling but what caught his attention was her bright smile and crinkled nose, a splash of dark freckles covered her face and Gale couldn't stop staring.

"Madge Undersee...?" He murmured, his eyes still focused on the model.

"Yeah..." his girlfriend said dreamily, "she's my favorite model, she always looks so beautiful but like down to earth you know?" Gale ignored her and picked up the magazine. He flipped through to her spread and stared at her pictures. His favorite photo was Madge with her head thrown back, she was laughing, wearing a teal coat that went past her knees. "Don't you agree?" Becca asked him, taking the magazine.

"Yeah, she is really something," he tried joking. His heart was beating rapidly, so this is what it felt like to see a ghost.

"This is my favorite photo of her," Becca said and handed him the magazine, "I totally want this outfit." Gale stared down at the close up on the opposite page. Madge's hair was straightened and her lips were bright red to match the scarf around her neck. "Gale?" She laughed, "I do believe you're drooling!" She took the magazine back and tossed it back on the table. "If you want a real look- I would suggest the swimsuit edition." Gale laughed but he could no longer hold a smile. Instead he sunk his teeth into a piece of pizza and clicked on the TV. "Don't get any ideas..." she continued, "I do believe she lives somewhere in 2."

That night he stared at the bare back of his girlfriend in the moonlight. She took a deep breath in her sleep and Gale took the chance to climb out of bed. He padded back into the living room and grabbed the magazine. "Oh, Madge." He sighed and leaned back, flipping through the pictures. Then he turned to the text. It was an interview. About love. He quickly scanned it all. "I've lost a lot to the war." He murmured, reading over her words. "I've lost touch with people... probably because they think I'm dead... it says she laughs..." he continued. "You asked me why I started modeling." He whispered, "I'm looking for a past life of mine. A mockingjay soldier," Gale closes the magazine and slams it back on the table. He sat up and rubbed his temples.

"Good morning," his girlfriend grinned lazily from the blue sheets. He smiled kindly as he pulled on a suit jacket. "Going to work so soon?" She asked him, glancing over at the clock.

"Yeah, I have a meeting," he sighed, "new divisions are coming in next week." It wasn't a complete lie, new divisions were coming in but they never had meetings for it.

"Alright, I'll see you tonight..." He nodded but quickly departed the apartment. He barged into the quiet office and clicked on his computer. Through the endless websites he finally found it.

"Hello, Madge Undersee's assistant speaking." Gale cleared his throat.

"Uh yes, hello, this is General Gale Hawthorne." He tried to make himself sound as professional as possible.

"Yes...?" The assistant faltered.

"I just wanted to see if there was any way to talk to Madge." He sighed, he didn't want to beat around the bush. "We lived in district 12 together and have known each other since we were kids."

"Hold on, Mr. Hawthorne." Gale was surprised and sat back in his chair.

"This is Madge," Gale opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out, "hello? Ann I think they hung up..."

"Madge," he said quickly.

"Yes?" She said hesitantly.

"It's Gale," the line was quiet for a moment.

"Gale, you finally called," she whispered.

"I saw you on a magazine cover and then read your article," he said quickly, "you know the one about love," he continued, "it's about me." He said.

"Oh no," she sighed. "You don't love me anymore." She said.

"No," He laughed, "no- that's not it at all."

"Then what is it?" Gale hesitated and tried to come up with a reasonable response to her question,

"I have a serious girlfriend." He admitted.

"I see..." she murmured. They let the disappointment hang in the air.

"I live in 2," he said as if it made up for it.

"Where?" She asked.

"In the J apartment complex, it's right by..."

"Wait- you live in the J apartments?" She interrupted.

"Yeah on the second floor."

"I live in the J apartments." Gale's eyebrow furrowed.

"Wait- what floor do you live on?" He asked.

"I live on the fourth floor," she laughed loudly.

"No way," he smiled, "how come I've never seen you?" Madge laughed.

"I have no idea, maybe we work different hours." They sat in silence for a moment.

"They're nice apartments," Gale said, trying to continue their conversation.

"They are but they're expensive- I can hardly afford mine."

"Me too." They laughed and the line went back to silence. "Hey, is there a chance I can see you tonight?" He could practically hear Madge chewing on her bottom lip.

"Gale... I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why didn't you try contacting me?" He finally asked, "The modeling, the interviews, why didn't you just try to call? It seems like it would have been an easier way."

"A lot has happened... Gale... I have to go, can you come by at 8?" She asked. Gale tried to hold back his hope.

"Sure."

"I'm in 412, at the end of the hallway."

"Alright, see you." She hung up leaving Gale to his thoughts. That night Gale checked his appearance in the lobby mirrors before clicking the fourth floor button on the elevator. He had a bouquet of flowers in his hand and a bag in the other. He wasn't expecting Becca to walk on from their floor either. She was looking down at her text messages and he didn't want to risk telling her that the elevator was going up. He watched with suspicion as she reached out for the number three button. Her short black hair was in curls and she had a lot of make-up on. Gale wondered where she was going but he didn't want to bring attention to himself. Instead he moved the flowers in front of his face. She got off on the third floor and Gale got to see the skimpy black dress she was wearing. He held open the elevator doors and watched as she stalked down the halls.

"What the hell..." he muttered and slowly followed after her. She knocked on a door and Gale pretended to be getting his keys out. He watched as a young man came out and twirled Becca into his arms.

"Don't you look fabulous tonight," he exclaimed.

"It's all for you," she giggled and kissed him with everything she had.

"I love you," he sighed and dragged her into his apartment.

"I love you too," Gale let out a surprised gawk and headed towards the elevator. He ran on and pressed four. It wasn't long that his nerves got to him as he stood in front of 412. He raised his knuckles and knocked loudly. Madge answered the door with a small smile on her face.

"Hi," She said and glanced at the floor. Gale couldn't help but scan her body. She was wearing an old t-shirt, little shorts, and an oversized sweatshirt. She padded away from him. He followed her in and stopped her by grabbing her arm.

"I brought you these," he smiled. Madge grinned and took the flowers out of his hand. "And this." She nodded and grabbed the bag out of his hand. She moved into her kitchen. She set the flowers into an empty glass vase and filled it with water.

"I'll have to make them look perfect later." She grinned and looked into the bag. "You did not." She sighed and looked up at him through her lashes, "strawberries?" He shrugged and watched as she stuck her fingers into the bag and pulled one out. She ran it under the tap and sunk her teeth into it. Gale gulped at the look on her face. She finished it and dropped the steam into the sink. She licked her lips slowly not taking her eyes off of Gale. "They're good," she hummed, and reached in for a second one. This time she leaned against the counter and closed her eyes. Biting into the strawberry she made a low moan in the back of her throat.

"Right..." he sighed. "We're going to do this." Madge laughed and dropped her sweatshirt on the floor. His palms started to sweat as she slid across the floor, a silly grin on her face.

"What are we going to do?" She whispered up at him. He laughed and looked away from her. He took off his jacket and threw it onto her sectional. She reached up and pulled at his tie. "Gale..." she whispered, "what are we going to do?" He lifted her up and pressed her against the wall. Her smell was intoxicating.

"We're... reuniting," he smirked against her collarbone. She let a giggle bubble in her throat and she loosed his tie, dragging it up over his head.

"This is reuniting?" She murmured and pressed her head against the wall, exposing her neck to him. He took the bait and peppered kisses on her neck. Her nimble fingers picked open his shirt buttons slowly.

"My girlfriend..."

"You ruined the mood," she groaned and bit his bottom lip. He laughed and pulled away- sobering up.

"She's cheating on me," he told her, "I don't know how long it's been going on since we've only really dated for six months but I caught them today." He told her and slid her down the wall onto her feet. She shook her head.

"That's so sad." She smiled and moved around him. "So forget about her," Madge murmured. She hiked her t-shirt over her head and dropped it behind her. Gale turned and watched as the girl in front of him piled her hair on top of her head. Her milky white skin contrasted her lacy black bra. She leaned over and pulled her shorts down revealing see-through black lace. "Forget her," she whispered.

"Hell's teeth," he groaned. She bit her lip and pushed her hair out of her face.

"Forget her..." She pressed and reached behind her resting her fingers on her bra clasps. She turned to show Gale and let the garment fall to the floor. Before she knew it his hands were pressing into her hips and pulling her back to the bedroom.

"Forget who?" he growled in her ear and brought her to the bed. She arched her back and he stripped down to his boxers. "Are we going to talk about us?" He murmured onto her skin.

"Later," she groaned.

"How about now?" He nibbled her earlobe.

"Later," she insisted.

"Madge I need to know..." a shrill cry drove them apart and Madge shot up like a canon, pushing Gale off of her. She grabbed his button down and draped it around her, leaving the room almost immediately. Gale sat at the end of the bed with confusion. He got up and moved to follow Madge, when he found her he was taken aback.

"Shhh..." she murmured. Madge was standing in a light pink nursery complete with an oversized rubber ducky nightlight sitting on the dresser. She turned to reveal a bundle of white blankets in her arms. Her eyes were tearful and apologetic. He wasn't sure what he was looking at.

"You're a mother?" He asked, "Hell's teeth... are you married?" Madge looked ashamed and offended.

"Yes and no," she said, "if you have a problem- you can leave." Gale shook his head quickly.

"No, I'm so sorry but..." he came closer slowly, "why didn't you tell me right away?" Madge started to answer but instead he received loud sobs.

"I was scared," she admitted. Gale wrapped his arms around her, cautious of the baby in her arms.

"Madge, don't cry," she quieted and began rocking the baby softly again, Gale tore his eyes off Madge and down at the bundle in her arms, "what is her name?"

"Wren," Madge smiled and lifted back the blankets, "do you want to hold her?" She asked. Gale nodded and took the baby in his arms. He peered down at her face, her skin was like Madge's pale and freckled but her hair came in dark brown wisps of curls. Gale brushed a finger over her cheek, which opened her eyes. They were the softest grey Gale had ever seen.

"She's... so beautiful." He whispered, "she looks a lot like..." he let the name die on his lips as he made sudden eye contact with the woman in front of him.

"Like who?" she offered a watery smile,

"Posy." He finished.

"Makes sense..." Madge murmured and took back her daughter slowly, "since she's a Hawthorne or part."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Gale couldn't hold back his hurt emotions, "Madge, why?" She smiled sadly.

"The mockingjay was overruling everything," she shrugged, "it was so easy for you to forget about me that I just didn't want you to... feel like..." she leaned over the crib and set the baby down. "Like I was another thing to worry about. Anyway it didn't help that Haymitch told me that you wouldn't make it through the war so I just left and everyone thought I had died." Gale starred at her.

"There are so many things I want to say to you," he sighed. Madge stalked out of the nursery with Gale on her heels.

"I understand," she whispered, "you should probably go." He shook his head.

"That's not what I mean," he growled, "don't push me away again." She looked up, shocked.

"I didn't push you away!" She snarled, "You pushed me away!".

"I didn't do it on purpose, Madge, I was in love with you and you vanished!"

"You didn't try contacting me either!" She exclaimed.

"You're right- fine. Just answer one question then. Two actually."

"Fine." She snapped and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Do you love me?"

"Yes," she murmured.

"Then marry me," he breathed. Madge sputtered.

"What?" she whispered.

"Marry me."

"Gale you're just doing this because..."

"No, I'm not." He stopped her. "I'm not doing this because you're model material. I'm not doing this because your apartment is nicer than mine or the fact you actually have it furnished and decorated either. I'm not doing this because I feel guilty. I'm not doing this... actually I'm partly doing it because I'm already crazy about Wren. I love you and I want to be with you for the rest of my life. We've been separated for too long. I want to be able to wake up every day with you by my side. Please do me the honor of marrying me?" Madge blinked at him, surprised. "Just say yes," he said and pushed her bangs out of her face.

"Gale..."

"Just say yes," he said and leaned forward, kissing the edge of her mouth.

"Yes," she murmured and turned to kiss him fully.

"Can we go watch the baby sleep?" He asked her, smiling. Madge laughed lightly.

"Sure." She grinned and took him by the hand. "You know... this has got to be the ultimate form of cheating." Madge whispered as Gale bent over the crib.

"What? Being engaged and having a semi-girlfriend who is also cheating?"

"It sounds wildly complicated." She grinned and leaned against him.

"It is wildly complicated." He turned and they kissed slowly.

"We're wildly complicated." She murmured, he shook his head.

"No, we're a family, that's not complicated." Madge rolled her eyes and glanced down at their peaceful baby. "I have to model material girls who I am madly in love with, that's not complicated."

"Stop calling me model material," she laughed, "They cover my stretch marks and Photoshop me on every shoot," Gale grinned and drew her closer.

"To me you will always be model material."

"Even when I'm old?" She joked.

"Oh, especially when you're old." They laughed but shushed each other when the baby started crying. "I'm sorry, Wren, did Mommy and Daddy wake you up?" He asked and picked her up, pressing her to his chest.

"Wildly complicated," they agreed at the same time.

"But model material." Madge continued to joke.

"Yeah, I mean, have you see me?" Gale said and struck a pose with his daughter.

"Don't ever do that again," she giggled and shook her head.

"No promises," he told her.


	44. Chaperones

"I've wanted to come to this place for years!" Thom exclaimed, getting out of the van.

"I haven't even put the car in park!" Gale yelled out to his friend.

Bristle rolled her eyes and climbed out behind him, "calm down, we're chaperoning for a field trip- remember?"

"Yeah but come on and live a little!" Thom said, throwing his arm around her.

"Bristle's right..." Madge said and closed the passenger side door behind her, "we're not here to mess around."

"Alright, party pooper." Peeta laughed and helped Katniss out of the backseat. Madge rolled her eyes and led her friends to a pack of teachers and their 8th grade students.

"Thanks so much for volunteering; the teachers really need the help."

"Our siblings are here anyway," Gale shrugged.

"I just really like holding coats," Bristle joked.

"I get extra credit for my child developing class, and I really need all the points I can get." Katniss sighed.

"She burst open our flour sack baby when she dropped it on accident." Peeta explained.

"Was it really an accident?" Madge wondered out-loud. She caught Katniss shaking her head.

"I don't know why we thought it would be a good idea to take middle schoolers to a theme park." The young teacher mumbled, leaving the high schoolers behind.

"I know we're supposed to watch the kids... but I am going to get myself on one of these." Gale said looking up at the skyline of rollercoasters. "I love this park too much to pass up the temptation."

"Right?" Thom grinned, "The park is practically begging us!"

"How can you tell?" Bristle asked him.

"I've got the same feeling Thom," Peeta said and grabbed a map at the entrance.

"Ridiculous." Bristle grumbled.

"As long as it's not the one that goes straight up and down." Katniss warned. They turned to Madge.

"Do you have a preference, Princess?" Gale asked and poked her in the side.

"I think I'll actually do my job and stay on the ground." She grinned and poked him back.

"Spoken like a future education major." Peeta joked.

"She's going to be music ed," Gale corrected.

"Like that makes any difference," Peeta winked at Madge.

She laughed and shook her head, "count me out. It's fine."

"Fine... play adult." Thom said walking backwards away from her, "but we're all going to be kids again."

"I don't think they'll let you on the rides if you're not a certain age." Bristle joked and followed after her boyfriend to the concession stand.

"I'm going to the bathroom before we go on any rides," Katniss murmured and dragged Peeta away.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Gale asked Madge.

"Yeah, I'm fine, seriously." She said, looking up at him.

"I get that you want to yah know watch the kids and stuff but it wouldn't hurt to randomly follow them on a few rides."

Madge smiled and shook her head, "no, go ahead."

"Oh come on and date already." Thom said arriving with a mouthful of popcorn. Madge's face flushed and she looked away from Gale.

"Leave them be, sheesh!" Bristle groaned at her boyfriend. Thom shrugged and winked at Madge.

"What first?" Katniss asked returning to the group.

"Whatever's closest?" Gale asked rubbing the back of his neck and looking down at Peeta's map.

"That works," Peeta agreed.

"Still staying here?" Gale asked Madge when they approached the ride.

"Yeah, rides really aren't my thing." She smiled and Gale shrugged. Madge parked herself on a bench and tried to find 8th graders. She didn't see one neon green district 12 t-shirt anywhere in the crowds.

She could hear them before she could see them, "wow, we have to go on every single one if they're all like that." Thom yelled.

"I hope there's some difference or it would be boring," Katniss reminded him. Madge stood up and crossed over to them.

"You have to go on the next one," Peeta said, latching onto her arm. Madge laughed nervously and wrestled her arm back to her side.

"No, I'm good. Hey, I think I see some students getting onto the one up there. That can be next." The group took off but Madge lingered in the back and then broke off in search of a bench.

She found one directly in front of the ride and leaned back, glancing down at her phone briefly. Then back up at the coaster. Blocking her view, she made eye contact with Gale. "Do you need me to hold something?" She asked, confused.

"Oh... uh no." He rubbed the back of his neck, "the line says it's an hour wait which is insane... so I ditched to be with you. I mean I uh didn't want you to be alone for that long." Madge smiled.

"You don't have to do that- I'm fine on my own. I could always go and get something to drink." Gale shrugged.

"You could but I don't mind, really. Let's go explore. I think there's a funhouse up here."

Madge raised an eyebrow, "a funhouse?"

"Yeah... you know like a thing..."

"I know what a funhouse is." She laughed, "I'm just surprised that's what you want to do."

"They're called funhouses, Madge. They're going to be fun. Come on." He pulled her up and started walking.

"Do you have funhouse radar or something?" She asked running after him. He laughed and shook his head.

"I looked at the map plus I've been here a million times."

"Oh really? I think you must really like funhouses."

"I'm not living this down am I?" He asked, glancing back at her.

"Nope!" She grinned and ran a little to catch up with him. "Gale... slow down... you walk too fast." She grabbed onto his arm.

"It's not my fault you're short." He smiled and tangled their hands together.

"It's not my fault that you're practically running to the funhouse." She glanced down at their handholding.

"Sorry," he murmured and dropped her hand.

"I don't mind," she said smiling shyly and took his hand again. The line for the funhouse was mostly small children with parents but Madge and Gale were smiling and laughing all the way to the front, carefree.

"Don't be scared... but we're next." She winked up at him. He laughed and pulled her into the house. They climbed through the house slowly, taking their time to enjoy the illusions around them.

"Oh hey, I'm taller than you," Madge pointed out to Gale in a mirror.

"Never going to happen so enjoy it," he grinned.

"Crazier things have happened," she joked and took his hand again.

"I don't know, Madge, a 5'4 girl suddenly 6'2 would be something crazy." She laughed and rolled her eyes at him. They climbed up the stairs and around the top of the house until choosing the slide instead of the stairs.

"Last stretch," he grinned and walked through the moving, shifting hallway and out of the house. He turned back to watch Madge scurry though the door. She hopped down next to him and grinned.

"That was a good idea, I had fun." He playfully punched her arm.

"Yeah, I told you so."

"What now?" She asked him. They wandered back into the crowd and Gale reached out and pulled her towards him.

"I don't know. What do you want to do?" He asked and nestled her against him, brushing her hair out of her eyes. Madge gaped at him until he moved back. "Sorry," he murmured and rubbed the back of his neck. Madge recovered and laughed,

"No, I'm sorry, you took me by surprise." Gale still rubbed the back of his neck but smiled slightly down at her.

"Love birds- let's get going," Thom called and walked between them. "I have lines to be in and coasters to ride."

"That was not an hour wait..." Bristle grumbled, "Liars."

"Do we have to go on another rollercoaster? Can't we go in the funhouse or something?" Katniss complained making Gale laugh.

"Not you too, Katniss." Madge warned and grabbed Gale's hand. After an hour and a half, Madge was tired of waiting on everyone. The sun was hot and her clothes were sticking to her. She got up and wandered away from the coaster and into one of the stores. The air conditioning flooded her senses and she immediately relaxed.

"Madge, we've been looking everywhere for you." Madge glanced over to see Rory and Prim crossing the store to her.

"Hey guys," she smiled, "what's up?" She took in the two who were soaking wet and beaming.

"Nothing much, we've been on all the water rides." Rory shrugged.

"I can tell."

"I'm looking for my brother." Rory said, "He promised me a few rides."

"Is Prim not good enough?" Madge grinned.

"No that's not it at all... she just doesn't like the big rides so Gale promised to take me on some. I haven't been here before I want to see what all the fuss is about. Gale talks about this place all the time." Madge gestured over to the coaster.

"He's on that one currently, they'll be off soon." Rory and Prim raised their eyebrows.

"Without you?" Rory asked her.

"I don't like the big rides." Madge shrugged.

"I was going to say... Gale volunteered for this because you asked. He wouldn't have done this any other way."

Madge blushed and laughed, "I can see that... I guess..."

"While the boys are on the ride maybe we can get something to eat." Prim offered, changing the subject.

"That sounds like a plan; I think your sister will be up for that too."

"Is Katniss on that?" Prim asked, looking up at the coaster.

"Yeah?"

"How'd they get her to do that? She hates those."

Madge frowned, "she seems fine with it."

"Huh, maybe I was wrong." As planned Madge, Katniss, and Prim ate lunch together while waiting for the boys.

"Hey, I thought you hated roller coasters," Madge said conversationally to Katniss.

"I do, I'm just doing it for Peeta." She shrugged, "I would hate for him to go alone... or he could have sat with Gale. Huh why didn't I think of that...?"

Madge rubbed her temple. "That makes me feel bad," she laughed nervously; "I've done that to Gale every time."

"Maybe we'll just put Peeta and Gale together," Bristle said, "that way neither of you have to go."

"You're also not officially with Gale so it shouldn't matter," Katniss pointed out.

"That doesn't help either. I want to be with Gale but we're both awkward that we..." She stopped as she saw the boys approach the table.

"Go on... 'We' what?" The girls asked, leaning in. The boys filtered in next to their girlfriends and Gale didn't seem bothered to squish next to Madge.

"Turns out I don't like roller coasters either," Rory announced to the group.

"Screamed like a girl the whole time," Gale filled in and winked at his younger brother.

"Oh shut up, Gale, it wasn't that bad."

Prim grinned and crushed her boyfriend in a hug."It's alright...You can try to win me a giant stuffed animal or something instead,"

"Yay?" Rory laughed and was tugged away from the table.

"We have the two popular ones left," Gale announced, "the biggest coasters."

"Which one first?" Bristle asked looking down at her map.

"I would like to point out that we have not watched a single 8th grader." Madge giggled.

"We watched Rory and Prim," Thom laughed, "they count."

"I say we go on the red one, it looks awesome," Peeta said, pointing to it on the map.

"It's really great," Gale grinned and glanced over at Madge, "are you coming on this one?"

Madge opened her mouth to answer but Katniss beat her to it, "no, Madge and I are going to sit this one out." She shot her a thankful glance.

"I might go on the last one," Madge told him.

"That works," he beamed. Katniss and Madge watched hem wander off in search of the coaster.

"He's not going to be able to get you on that coaster, is he?" Katniss asked Madge.

"Not at all," Madge said seriously.

"So finish your sentence 'we' what?" Katniss wondered aloud. Madge laughed in surprise.

"Uh..." She said nervously and rubbed her arm, "Like we or we're just polar opposites or it seems like it. He's so handsome too and smart and stuff I don't know... I just want to scream I'm not worthy."

"Yeah alright Madge... whatever you say." Katniss said and rolled her eyes.

"You don't agree?" Madge asked her.

"Gale is head over heels for you so he clearly does not think that you're not worthy."

"He's been acting funny today... he's been holding my hand and I think like trying to kiss me or something."

"So ask him what's up maybe he'll ask you out."

"Oh my goodness no!" Madge squealed and covered her reddening cheeks.

"You're hopeless- I can't deal with this." Katniss laughed. After a while Katniss and Madge got tired of waiting around. They started darting in and out of shops and eating their weight in junk food offered at the park. They started to play the carnival games but Katniss outshined Madge on all of them.

"Ready for the last coaster of the day?" They turned to see the group coming towards them.

"Joy..." Katniss said sarcastically.

"It's the last one," Peeta shrugged.

"Are you going, Princess?" Gale asked Madge.

"Why not," She smiled. "Which one is it?"

"That one," Gale said pointing up at the largest coaster in the park. Madge's smile fell.

"Second thoughts?" Bristel asked her, laughing.

"You don't have to go," Gale smiled and rubbed her back.

"If Katniss is going, I'll go," She said but felt her stomach flip over.

"Alright enough chit chat then, let's go!" Thom said, dragging Bristel over to the line.

"You can still back out," Gale winked at Madge.

"It'll be fun," she murmured. It wasn't until halfway through the line that Madge started to have a panic attack. She tried to keep it from the group but Gale noticed.

"You doing okay?" He asked her. She looked up and nodded. "You're hands are really clammy."

"Did it say that this coaster is made out of wood?" She asked him quietly.

"Yeah, it was the first coaster in the park, cool huh?"

"Is it safe?" She pressed.

"Of course it is. It's iconic. They have to keep it up to code." She just stared at him. "If I didn't trust the coaster I wouldn't take you on it. I've been on it a million times though- it's the best in the park." By the time they were the third group in line Madge was losing it. "You're shaking pretty badly," Gale told her, "you don't have to go on."

"No, I want to experience it." She said. He raised his eyebrows.

"You're going to pass out before we even get on."

"Its fine," She shrugged and melted into his side.

He laughed, "its fine you're going to pass out?" He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips into her hair. "I don't think that's fine."

When Thom announced, "we're next." Madge could feel the bile work up her throat.

"Gale, I take it back." She whispered and looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Come on Madge, we're here." She had his arm in a death grip as they walked to the coaster car. He had to buckle and tighten her straps for her. "I can't believe you already have your eyes closed." Her breathing was heavy and loud as the coaster lurched forward.

"Distract me." She said, "talk to me about anything but this."

"Hmm," he said as the coaster started its climb. "Well you know I really like you..."

"Yeah," She said gripping the handle in front of her harder as the wind picked up.

"Do you think it would be okay to start calling you my girlfriend?" He asked her. Madge's eyes popped open and she looked over at him. Instead of meeting his eyes though she got a good look at the ground.

"I think I'm going to be sick." She said and looked at Gale with wide terrified eyes.

"We're almost to the top," he said and gestured. She glanced over to notice the edge of the drop off.

"I'm going to be sick," she told him and further tried to nestle herself into his side. As soon as they reached the top, Madge could feel her stomach going back to the ground.

"Put your hands up," Gale told her.

"No way," she squeaked and made herself smaller in the seat, pressing her body closer to the car floor. At the bottom, she didn't move even if the ride was over.

"Madge, it's over." Gale pried her fingers off the handle and unlocked her belt. He jostled her out of the seat and onto the platform. She finally opened her eyes to look at him. "That wasn't so bad was it?" He asked her. Madge could hardly feel her hands or feet from the pressure she put on them during the ride. She stared at him.

"Never again," she said and started walking towards their friends. Gale let out a hearty laugh and came running up behind her, taking her hand. He stopped her and pulled her away for a moment, fixing her hair and smiling down at her. He leaned down and kissed her properly on the lips. Madge reached up into his hair and stood on her tip toes to return the kiss.

"So will you be my girlfriend?" He asked her.

"So long as you never take me on another rollercoaster," she warned, jokingly.

"Deal," he grinned and kissed her again.

"No PDA in the park!" Thom yelled over to them.

"Let's go do our job," Gale said stepping away and taking her hand.

"What's our job?" She asked him.

"I think it was watching eighth graders." He told her.

"Nah," she grinned, "let's go in the funhouse."

"Now you're talking..."

"Or you can win me a giant stuffed animal from one of the carnival games, you know typical boyfriend stuff." Gale laughed.

"Sure Madge, whatever you want."


	45. Parting

Gale looked haggard to say the least. "How about you sit down?" His wife said softly.

"I only have the day... Madge" he murmured.

"I know." She smiled sadly.

"What're we going to do?" He asked her, "I can't go now."

"What do you mean?" She sighed, "You have to go."

"Well... I don't want to." He ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

"Come on- you signed up for it." She led him over to the couch.

"Yeah that was before..."

Madge snorted and rolled her eyes, "Please, this has been all you could talk about."

"I'm just worried."

"I'm worried, your mother's worried, Rory, Vick, and Posy... We're all worried. We're not going to stop you though. This is important."

"You're more important to me Madge; I don't know why I didn't see it before! We-"

"It's going to be alright. Take a breath."

"What if-"

"Stop thinking too much. You're the best solider on that squad. You're going to be fine."

"I'm not the best solider, Madge. I'm one of the worst. Why am I even going?" Gale pushed himself off the couch and started pacing.

"You know... we only have a day." She reminded him, "We should probably make the best of it."

"You say that like I'm not coming back," he sighed and returned to the couch.

"I'm not saying it that way- I'm just making a point." She took his hand and kissed his open palm, "I just don't want to spend the day sulking. It would be a waste."

Gale reached over and tucked a blonde curl behind her ear, "I love you."

"I love you too." She smiled, "now stop your blubbering and kiss me."

"We should probably go down to the hanger. You leave in twenty minutes." Madge murmured.

"Is that all?" He said sadly.

"Yeah," she whispered choking back tears, "where did the day go?"

"We used it well," Gale said wagging his eyebrows. Madge gave a pathetic watery laugh. "Don't cry." He sighed, "Or I'll start too."

"Your collar is messed up and your fly is undone. Some soldier you are." She said wiping her eyes with a smile. She walked around the bed to help him.

"Are you going to be alright?" He asked looking down at her.

"No," she whispered and started to cry. He folded her into his arms and kissed her hair, trying to hold the fragrance of her shampoo in the back of his mind. "Don't go... please don't go," she pleaded.

"We're going to get through this." He said softly. They were quiet on the walk to the elevator and held each other on the way up to the hanger. As soon as the door opened Madge was all talk as she led them out of the elevator and into the open crowded hanger.

"Don't get yourself killed okay? Don't do anything stupid or risky. Don't put yourself in the front... stick with the middle between people if you can. Don't think too much it'll get you killed. Write to me if you have time- if you don't... don't worry about it. There's so much I want to say... I... don't have enough time..." She looked up at her husband with panic. He sighed heavily and kissed the corner of her mouth.

"Breath, Madge, in and out." He led them over to the plane where the rest of the Star Squad was waiting. He held up a finger for more time.

"Before I give my speech," he prompted and rested his hands on her stomach, dropping to his knees in exhaustion. He kissed her stomach softly and brushed a hand across her abdomen.

"Everyone's watching," she sobbed, Gale stood up and shrugged, kissing her long and softly.

"I don't care," he said breaking away. "Don't pick up anything heavy. Don't go to dinner by yourself. Don't cry yourself to sleep. If you need help- ask for it- do not be stubborn, please Madge. Make sure you get three meals a day or at least two and a snack. Write to me, update me, and think of me. If anything happens to..." he closed his eyes trying to stop the tears. Madge covered her mouth to stop her own sobs. But the couple failed. They stood sobbing and holding each other. "If anything happens to me," he started again, "I want you to be strong for our family. Our son or daughter need you to be strong for them. Remember that."

"Nothing is going to happen to you," she said and cupped his cheek, "you're going to be smart and get yourself and the team out of there as soon as possible."

"I'll try my best."

"Try harder than that," Madge laughed softly.

"I love you," He whispered and kissed her twice more.

"I love you too." Madge said as they broke apart, she held onto his hand for as long as she could but eventually had to watch him walk away from her. Gale looked back at her before he got on the aircraft, as she was swallowed by his tearful family. He offered a nervous smile and she tried to give one back.

"See you soon," he shrugged, getting on.

"See you," she mouthed and watched the door close.


	46. Broken Top

Madge looked down at the grime on her fingernails. She picked at the crevices and creases in the water tub in the sink. She sighed, giving up. She threw her hands back and forth to wash the water off her hands and then reached for a ripped towel hanging above her. She had been sick recently. Gale had told her to rest but she was anxious to start working around the house again. There was just too much to be done.

The roof had to be patched up, the floor was covered with coal dust and dirt, the sink had a leak, the bed sheets had to be cleaned, and the light over the kitchen table was out. The list kept growing. Madge looked over at the clock. That's when she realized that dinner had to be on the table soon. For, Gale would be home from the mines in an hour. Madge looked up at the barren cabinets. Her stomach rumbled.

Her mouth watered for crisp apple crumble and a large ham with a glaze that her cooks used to make. There was a knock at the door that snapped Madge out of her food fantasy. She turned the doorknob and pulled the door open. Katniss was tapping her foot on the mat outside the front door. Her game bag was thrown over one shoulder. Her gray eyes darted around the empty seam. "Hello" Madge smiled and tried to hide her hands.

She ended up leaving them beneath her dull blue apron. Madge stood aside letting her friend enter the small house. "I brought a few things you may want for dinner" Katniss said, dropping the bag onto the kitchen table. Madge crossed her arms and looked into the bag. Her friend took out a smaller bag of strawberries and a rather large rabbit. "From Peeta" Kantiss handed Madge a paper bag full of warm rolls. The brown haired girl turned to leave.

"Thank you" Madge said sweetly, looking down at the food. It wasn't apple crumble or ham but it would do. Later, Madge had the bread on a plate, centered on the wooden table. The rabbit was cleaned and chopped up. Letting it soak with some old vegetables in a stew. She stood back and looked at dinner, just as Gale was thumping the door closed behind him. His helmet dangled in his hand, the other was running through his shaggy hair.

She pretended to be checking the temperature of the rabbit bits. She heard his boots clunk over the floor as he made his way to her. His sturdy arms wrapped around her waist and his lips found the side of her neck, pressing a few little kisses there. "Yum" he whispered in her ear and she turned to swat him with a hand. He laughed and let her go, walking over to smell the rolls. He left the room to change.

Madge brought the pot of stew over and set it on the table. She got out a little dish for the fresh strawberries and dumped them in from the bag Katniss had brought them in. She set them next to the rolls. Checking over her work, Madge smiled slightly, pleased to have produced a healthy meal for the family. The rusting highchair was pressed up to the wooden table and she pulled it out towards her. "Gale…" she called and waited.

He came out of their room, buttoning up a flannel shirt over a dirty undershirt. Gale looked up from the buttons with a questioning look. "What's wrong?" he asked and leaned against the chair. She huffed, blowing the stray pieces of hair away from her face. She pointed to the closed door of the spare room. Madge had tutored town kids for a year for that extra bedroom. She was thankful she did, even though most of the kids were snobs.

"Get Pepper, would you?" she sighed and rested her hands on the small of her back. Gale nodded and pushed the door open to the baby's room. She sighed and sat down at the table, covering her eyes with her dirty hands. He came out gurgling baby language to his daughter and Madge peaked between her fingers to see it. Their dirty blonde baby girl was held up in front of her father, her cubby exposed legs kicking the air around.

Her mouth was open in a toothless smile of pure joy. Madge uncovered her face to see more of it. Freckles danced over the small bridge of her nose and coal dust was covering her arms, where Gale was holding her under the armpits. "Are these from Catnip?" he asked and shifted the baby onto his hip. Madge nodded and took the baby from him, popping her into the highchair. Pepper hit the tray with her hands, making an interesting sound.

Gale sat down across from her and took a roll from the plate, dragging it between his teeth. He dropped the rest of the roll onto his plate and started scooping out the stew. "The rabbit and strawberries are from Katniss as well" Madge said and took a roll from the center of the table, tore it into bits and dropped it onto the small plate for her daughter adding cut up rabbit bits as well. Little fingers poked the food.

"I still cannot believe she married him" Gale said in between bites. "I didn't think she liked him." Madge kept quiet and let Gale rant. It had only been a few months since Katniss announced her engagement to the baker's son. Now they were married and living in the back of the bakery. Madge shrugged when Gale met her eyes. "I mean it is her decision." He continued and cut up another piece of rabbit and carrot together. "It has advantages"

He said and held up his new roll and shaking it. Madge smiled bitter sweetly, "it does." Gale was quiet for a while, chewing and watching his daughter eat. Her wide gray eyes studied each piece she put in her mouth and her fingers were becoming wet from sticking them in her mouth. She finally noticed him watching her and stared at him until he looked back at his food. Madge reached out and patted down Pepper's hair. Gale's eyes smiled.

He reached across the table and took his wife's free hand. "I love you with all my heart" he told her honestly and rubbed his thumb over her raw skin. "No matter what happens, we're in this together. Through thick and thin" his eyes were sad now. "No matter what" he repeated. "From the day she turns twelve… to the end. Whenever that is" he said and looked over at Pepper. "You're my life" he whispered to Madge. "Nothing will change."


End file.
